Europe is moving closer to creating a digital identity framework that would enable citizens to store their official documents in a smartphone application. The European Parliament has voted in favor of negotiating a mandate to revise the European Digital Identity (eID) framework and create a new “European Digital Identity Wallet,” also known as EUDI Wallet or EU wallet. This would allow EU citizens to identify themselves online without relying on big tech companies like Google, Apple, Amazon, or Facebook.
The new eID framework would give EU citizens access to key public services across the EU, and citizens will retain full control over their data, deciding what information to share and with whom. However, the EU wallet would only be widely adopted if it offers an efficient use case, enabling authentication and verification processes, especially in the private sector.
Currently, electronic ID cards are available in countries like Germany, but they have not been widely adopted by citizens in their daily lives. Thus, it is essential to make the EU wallet easier and more efficient for citizens to interact with public services and administrations.
The creation of the EU wallet could have significant implications for digital identity in Europe, potentially paving the way for a more secure and user-friendly digital identity system. This could lead to a reduction in reliance on commercial providers and greater control over personal data, benefitting both citizens and public services. The next steps will be to negotiate a mandate with member states to create the EUDI Wallet and to determine how it can be integrated into various services and sectors.
