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With the recent adoption of a new framework for European digital identity by the European Council, the EU is poised for a significant transformation towards a fully digitized continent. The revised Digital Identity Regulation, known as eIDAS 2.0, has been officially published in the Official Journal of the European Union and is set to take effect on May 20, 2024. This development paves the way for the implementation of various digital ID projects across Europe. A statement from Generalitat de Catalunya heralds the European Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallet initiative as a milestone for the EU, promising enhanced control over personal data for users and standardized technical specifications for national digital IDs. The applications of this initiative range from age verification to accessing government services.
According to Generalitat, the revised regulation signifies a significant paradigm shift for digital identity in Europe, aiming to ensure universal access to secure and reliable electronic identification and authentication for individuals and businesses across the continent.
While the transition may encounter initial challenges, specific deadlines have been established. Member states are required to make a national digital identity wallet available to citizens by 2026, with recognition across all member states. These wallets will be optional and opt-in, with measures in place to prevent discrimination against non-users. Issuance, usage, and revocation of these wallets will be free of charge. Additionally, the system software will be open source, with flexibility for individual states to withhold certain information with reasonable justification. Member states are mandated to provide free validation mechanisms solely for verifying the authenticity and validity of the wallet and the identity of relying parties.
The revised regulation also clarifies the scope of qualified website authentication certificates, ensuring users can verify the authenticity of websites while adhering to established industry security standards.
However, the EU Digital Identity Wallet may not be a complete solution for all age verification needs, as highlighted by the organization behind euConsent. While acknowledging its potential as a reliable source of age data for online age assurance processes, euConsent ASPL notes potential usability challenges initially, particularly in disclosing age attributes to individual websites. Alternative means of online age assurance will still be necessary, especially for children too young to possess their own EUDI wallet.
Although significant milestones have been achieved, the journey towards completing the EUDI Wallet project is ongoing. Large-scale pilot projects are expected to continue until 2025, with common public use of EUDI wallets anticipated by mid-2026.
In summary, the implementation of eIDAS 2.0 marks a crucial step towards realizing a unified European digital identity, promising enhanced security, accessibility, and convenience for individuals and businesses across the continent.
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