Citizens will be able to confirm their identity using their mobile phone, according to a decision of the Council of the European Union.
The Council of the European Union has approved a legal framework for the implementation of a secure European digital wallet, designed to provide a digital identity to all Union citizens.
This measure comes three years after the launch of the project, in 2021.
Following the introduction of the digital wallet, EU businesses and citizens will be allowed to access online services without the need to use traditional identification methods such as an ID card, driving license or registration code in situations such as check-in at the airport or renting a car.
Every citizen will benefit from a digital electronic wallet
Through the new regulation, every citizen or entity in the European Union will benefit from a digital wallet that can connect the national digital identity with other personal aspects, such as the driver’s license or qualifications held by the user.
European digital wallets will facilitate online identification of the holder across the Union, eliminating the need to use private identification methods or share more personal data than necessary.
By 2026, according to the regulation, all member states will be obliged to offer citizens a digital wallet compatible with those of the rest of the member states.
The use of the digital wallet will be voluntary, not mandatory
It is important to emphasize that the use of this tool will be voluntary, not mandatory. Moreover, with the digital wallet sufficient safeguards will be implemented to prevent discrimination against those who choose not to use it, according to a press release from the Council of the European Union.
At the same time, the digital wallet issuance, use and revocation services will be free for natural persons, and the member states will offer free validation mechanisms to verify the authenticity and validity of the digital wallet, writes avocatnet.ro.
Free electronic signatures for personal use
The wallet will contain a control panel of all transactions accessible to its holder both online and offline, will provide the possibility to report possible data protection violations and will allow interaction between wallets.
At the same time, citizens will be able to load the wallet with existing national eID schemes and benefit from free electronic signatures for personal use.
Users will have control over shared information
In addition, European digital identity wallets will allow users to choose which aspects of their identity, data and certificates they share with third parties and keep track of those shares. Users will be able to have control over the information that is shared.
“The European digital identity will allow us to do in any member state the things we do at home without additional costs and without obstacles, whether it is renting an apartment or opening a bank account outside the country. We will be able to do this in a secure and transparent way. We will decide for ourselves how much information we want to share about ourselves, with whom and for what purpose. This is a unique opportunity for us all to experience what it means to live in Europe and be European,” said Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice President for a Europe Ready for the Digital Age.
The regulation will be published in the Official Journal of the EU soon and will enter into force 20 days after its publication, and will be fully implemented by 2026.
