In less than two years, Europeans who wish to do so will be able to have a European Digital Identity Wallet, offering a means of proving their identity or providing confirmation of certain personal information. The system promises to make a whole range of documents available digitally via a smartphone. These can then be easily sent to any administration or company in the European Union, if necessary.
Unveiled in 2021, this tool will allow European citizens to prove their identity anywhere in the European Union, and, in particular, to show or share electronic documents directly from their cell phones. An initial test phase is planned for 2023, before full rollout the following year.
This digital ID wallet will be able to hold a multitude of digitized official documents, from national identity cards to driving licenses and various official certificates, which can then be presented or shared as proof of identity during administrative formalities at home or elsewhere in the EU. Of course, the thorny issue of personal data protection remains a key concern for future users and legislators.
It will be up to each Member State to provide the appropriate means to store and present these online documents. This will offer a way for European citizens to access online services and easily prove their identity. Ultimately, this European Digital Identity Wallet will be able to identify a user and prove certain personal attributes in order to access public and private digital services within the European Union.
European Digital Identity Wallets will be accessible to all citizens and residents of the European Union who wish to use one. They will not be mandatory.
