EU’s Digital Wallet to Revolutionize Identity and Access for 448 Million Citizens by 2026

EU’s Digital Wallet to Revolutionize Identity and Access for 448 Million Citizens by 2026

(IN BRIEF) The European Union is preparing to roll out a digital identity wallet by 2026, which will provide secure digital identification for its 448 million citizens. This initiative aims to simplify access to government services, healthcare, travel, and other sectors by allowing users to store and share digital credentials with full control over their data. The wallet is being built on eIDAS 2.0 standards, ensuring interoperability across EU member states. Pilot projects are already underway to test the system in real-world scenarios like banking, travel, and healthcare. By 2027, all service providers across the EU will be required to accept the wallet, ensuring widespread adoption and streamlined digital identity management.

(PRESS RELEASE) LA DÉFENSE, 1-Oct-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — The European Union is progressing toward a groundbreaking initiative aimed at providing a secure digital identity wallet to all citizens by 2026. This effort, rooted in the eIDAS 2.0 regulation, will enable EU citizens, residents, and businesses to store and share digital identification securely. The digital wallet is designed to be interoperable across all member states, allowing individuals to use it for various purposes such as proving identity, signing documents, and accessing government services.

The EU Digital Identity Wallet (EDIW) promises to offer a seamless way for citizens to manage personal information securely and with full control over how their data is shared. This “self-sovereign identity” approach will reduce identity theft risks, streamline daily transactions, and empower users to protect their privacy while benefiting from easy access to services across borders.

President Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission emphasized the transformative potential of this technology, referring to it as “a secure European e-Identity” that allows people to decide what data to share and how it is used.

The ambitious initiative is supported by large-scale pilot projects currently underway across Europe, with more than 360 entities participating from 26 member states. These pilots focus on testing the wallet in various real-world applications, including banking, healthcare, government services, and travel. The EU has set a clear timeline for adoption, mandating that all member states offer the wallet by 2026, and that service providers accept it by 2027.

Thales, a global leader in digital security, is one of the key contributors to the EU Wallet pilot projects, focusing on ensuring the highest levels of security for this digital identity framework.

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SOURCE: Thales