European Digital Identity (EUid)

Latest Developments 

8 November 2023 – the European Commission, European Parliament and Council formally agreed on a provisional agreement on the eIDAS Regulation.

6 and 7 December 2023 – the text of the eIDAS Regulation was endorsed by the by the Committee of Permanent Representatives of EU Member States (Coreper) and by the ITRE committee

29 February 2024 - the European Parliament adopted the eIDAS Regulation

26 March 2024 - the Council adopted the eIDAS Regulation

11 April 2024 - the final act was signed

30 April 2024 – the eIDAS Regulation was published in the EU’s Official Journal

20 May 2024 – the eIDAS Regulation entered into force

Summary

The objective of this initiative is, amongst other things, to establish a more harmonised approach to digital identification and to:

1. provide a future proof regulatory framework to support an EU-wide, simple, trusted and secure system to manage identities in the digital space, covering identification, authentication and the provision of attributes, credentials and attestations (European Digital Identity – EUid); and
2. create a universal pan-European single digital ID; and
3. extend benefits of eIDAS to the private sector

In particular, the Proposal introduces the “European Digital Identity Wallet” which should be a product and service that, amongst other things, allows users to store identity data, credentials and attributes linked to their identity, to:

1. provide them to relevant parties on request and to use them for authentication, online and offline, for a service; and
2. create qualified electronic signatures.

The wallet would remain voluntary and free of charge for individuals. Individuals would be also able to use the wallet for creating e-signatures free-of-charge. The wallet would contain a dashboard of all transactions, and offer the possibility to report alleged violations of data protection.

The Proposal aims to establish the inclusion of “electronic attributes”, such as medical certificates or professional qualifications which should have the same legal effect as lawfully issued attestations in paper form. Under the Proposal it should be made easier to ensure pan-European legal recognition of such electronic attributes in electronic form too.

In addition, the Proposal addresses qualified electronic archiving services (whose technical standards shall be specified by means of implementing acts) as well as services, including remote qualified signature creation devices and electronic ledgers; all these services shall be provided only by qualified trust service providers.

The eIDAS Regulation also provides for a number of additional trust services such as the qualified website authentication certificates (used to verify the identity of persons or legal entities behind a website). This identity data has to be displayed in a user-friendly manner. In case of substantiated security concerns, web browsers will be allowed to take precautionary measures related to these certificates.

How could it be relevant for you?

The initiative is particularly relevant for trust service providers, but also to all European residents and businesses using electronic identification in connection with civil acts and commercial transactions or interacting with administrative bodies.

Next steps

The European Commission has to adopt implementing acts for technical specifications and procedures of the European digital identity wallet by 21 November 2024 and of the qualified certificates for website authentication by 21 May 2025.

Member States have to provide at least one European Digital Identity Wallet each within 24 months of the date of entry into force of the implementing acts.

*Information is accurate up to16 July 2024