@edzilla @AlisonW I was part of the team that implemented the e-ID in Flanders.
The difference is that Schengen ID cards are just that. The provide an ID in the same way a passport does, and, because they are also a smartcard, they can be used not only for identification but also authentication.
Key is that it sits securely in your own pocket.
The proposed system is a central database with a viewer in the form of a mobile app. The opposite of "in your pocket", it's more like the eVISA system.