diff --git a/libeoaconvert.py b/libeoaconvert.py
index ea45790..fecea75 100644
--- a/libeoaconvert.py
+++ b/libeoaconvert.py
@@ -364,3 +364,11 @@ def get_place_in_xml_tree(element, tree):
 
     return position
 # def get_place_in_xml_tree ends here
+
+def assign_xml_id(element, identifier):
+    """Assign an xml:id to an element"""
+
+    element.attrib["{http://www.w3.org/XML/1998/namespace}id"] = identifier
+
+    return
+# def assign_xml_id ends here