The Challenge

Digital identities and wallets aren’t new to Europeans. Many of us use them daily to complete payments at local and online stores, access our boarding passes for seamless travel, or manage our healthcare records.

These conveniences have been widely embraced. Yet, they come with serious caveats.

Traditional wallets are not tied to citizens’ identity cards and national ID. Moreover, they lack transparency about the end destination of shared data, exposing citizens to the risks of fraud and cyber threats. Finally, the absence of interoperability among national wallets complicates travel and the use of cross-border services.

A citizen from France moving to Germany for work or study would have to prove their identity, access local services, and perhaps open a bank account. This citizen would likely need to physically present various documents, possibly translated and notarized, such as their national ID, proof of address, and other personal information, to multiple agencies and institutions. Each service might require different documentation and verification processes, making the transition cumbersome, time-consuming, and stressful.

This not only placed a burden on the individual but also on the institutions trying to verify foreign documents and records.

»What was needed was a secure, privacy-preserving, and convenient digital wallet that would work across all of Europe«, says George Manos, General Manager, EU Institutions, Netcompany-Intrasoft.

The Solution

The European Digital Identity Wallet project was a commitment to create a wallet that would redefine digital identity across Europe and make life easier for citizens and businesses.

Brought to life by a consortium led by Netcompany-Intrasoft, the purpose of the project was to develop a unified standard for digital identification, adhering to the EU’s technical and security standards.

This initiative ensures that all national wallets, available to both citizens and businesses, will be interoperable and follow common technical specifications certified to the highest security standards. Specifically, this solution puts the power of privacy, convenience, and control back into the hands of EU citizens, enabling them to navigate across borders, access services, and manage their data with confidence and ease. The European Digital Identity Wallet will be licensed through an open-source agreement, enhancing transparency, functionality, and security. Moreover, this new standard allows for the seamless use of national digital IDs across the EU, further simplifying the digital lives of citizens by providing a single, secure gateway to a wide array of services.

The Results

The Digital Identity Wallet, available voluntarily to all EU citizens and residents, will be accepted everywhere across the EU, setting a new standard for safe and transparent digital ID. Its strong security features will attract businesses and open new opportunities within the internal market.

Going back to the citizen moving from France to Germany to work, that citizen can now easily prove their identity, share their qualifications, and access services with far less friction. The wallet allows for secure and straightforward sharing of digital documents and credentials across the EU, making processes like opening a bank account, registering for healthcare, or enrolling in a university much simpler.  The owner regains full control of data sharing as he/she chooses what will be shared with whom, e.g. proving a specific personal attribute such as age or age group without revealing additional personal details. The need for multiple physical documents, translations, and notarizations is significantly reduced, streamlining cross-border moves and transactions.

The EU Digital Identity Wallet represents a significant step towards a more integrated, user-friendly digital Europe, where every citizen holds the power over their personal data, setting a new standard for convenience, security, and control in the digital age.