The EU Digital Identity will be available to EU citizens, residents, and businesses who want to identify themselves or provide confirmation of certain personal information. It can be used for both online and offline public and private services across the EU.
Every EU citizen and resident in the Union will be able to use a personal digital wallet.
Every time an App or website asks us to create a new digital identity or to easily log on via a big platform, we have no idea what happens to our data in reality. That is why the Commission will propose a secure European e-identity. One that we trust and that any citizen can use anywhere in Europe to do anything from paying your taxes to renting a bicycle. A technology where we can control ourselves what data is used and how.
Benefits of the EU Digital Identity
The right of every person eligible for a national ID card to have a digital identity that is recognised anywhere in the EU
A simple and safe way to control how much information you want to share with services that require sharing of information
Operated via digital wallets available on mobile phone apps and other devices to:
- identify online and offline
- store and exchange information provided by governments e.g. name, surname, date of birth, nationality
- store and exchange the information provided by trusted private sources
- use the information as confirmation of the right to reside, to work, or to study in a certain Member State
Following a Commission Recommendation from 3 June 2021, a Member States Expert Groups is developing a Toolbox including a technical Architecture and Reference Framework (ARF), a set of common standards and technical specifications and a set of common guidelines and best practice, to make European Digital Identity Wallets truly a practical tool for all. The Commission regularly publishes the results of the work of the expert group.
Prior to its roll-out in Member States, the EU Digital Identity Wallet is piloted in four large scale projects, that launched on 1 April 2023. The objective of these projects is to test digital identity wallets in real-life scenarios spanning different sectors. Over 250 private companies and public authorities across 25 Member States and Norway, Iceland, and Ukraine will participate.
The European Commission will also provide a prototype of a EU Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI) as set out in the proposed European Digital Identity Regulation.
Why is it needed?
Digital identification systems offered by governments in the EU today have several important shortcomings: they are not available to the whole population, they are often limited to online public services and not allow for seamless access cross-border.
Only 14% of key public service providers across all Member States allow cross-border authentication with an e-Identity system, for example to prove a person’s identity on the internet without the need for a password. The number of successful cross-border authentications per year is very small, though on the increase.
72% of users want to know how their data is processed when they use social media accounts. 63% of EU citizens want a secure single digital ID for all online services (Eurobarometer survey)
Key principles
Available to any EU citizen, resident, or business in the EU who wants to use it
Widely useable as a way of identification or to confirm certain personal attributes for the purpose of access to public and private digital services across the EU
Giving full control to users to choose which aspects of their identity, data and certificates they share with third parties, and keep track of such sharing
Practical use
With the EU Digital Identity Wallets, citizens will be able to prove, across the EU, their identity where necessary to access services online, to share digital documents, or simply to prove a specific personal attribute, such as age, without revealing their full identity or other personal details. Citizens will at all times have full control of the data they share and by whom.
The EU Digital Identity can be used for any number of cases, for example:
- public services such as requesting birth certificates, medical certificates, reporting a change of address
- opening a bank account
- filing tax returns
- applying for a university, at home or in another Member State
- storing a medical prescription that can be used anywhere in Europe
- proving your age
- renting a car using a digital driving licence
- checking in to a hotel
Using the EU Digital Identity: applying for a bank loan
Applying for a bank loan is a process that typically includes numerous steps, from setting up appointments and having physical meetings, to collecting and signing all the paper documents - and repeating the operation if documents are missing.
By using the EU Digital Identity, the user only has to select the necessary documents that are stored locally on his digital wallet to reply to the bank’s request. Then, verifiable digital documents are created and sent securely for verification to the bank, who can then continue with the application process.
Making things easier for citizens and businesses
The following identification and trust services can already be used with legal effect across the EU thanks to the trust framework created by the eIDAS Regulation. They are key tools to enable trust and security in the Digital Single Market. Some services, like eSignatures, will be integrated into the wallet to facilitate their use.
| Citizens | Businesses | ||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
eSignature Expression in an electronic format of a person’s agreement to the content of a document. The function will be integrated into the wallet. |
Will help me to sign legal documents and email without printing any paper |
Will reduce costs and time through streamlined processes and help innovate business procedures |
|
eTimestamp Electronic proof that a set of data existed at a specific time |
Will give me proof that I have bought my concert tickets |
Will enhance document tracking and achieve greater accountability |
|
eID A way for businesses and consumers to prove their identity electronically |
Will allow me to open a bank account in another country with my national ID |
Will expand my customer base, save costs and time, and build trust in cross-border transactions |
|
Qualified Web Authentication Certificate Ensure websites are trustworthy and reliable |
Will let me know that the websites and apps I like using are trusted and safe |
Will increase consumer trust and help avoid phishing, protecting the reputation of my business |
|
eSeal Guarantee both the origin and the integrity of a document |
Will guarantee that the football tickets are real and are not counterfeit |
Will reduce costs and time through streamlined processes and promote trust in the origin of the document |
|
Electronic Registered Delivery Service Protects against the risk of loss, theft, damage or alterations when sending documentation |
Will guarantee that my son’s birthday present arrives safely |
Will reduce time and cost in document exchange, increase efficiency and trust and improve document tracking |