The Council presidency and European Parliament representatives reached a provisional political agreement on the core elements of a new framework for a European digital identity (eID) today, 29 June 2023. 

The revised regulation is touted as a paradigm shift for digital identity in Europe aiming to ensure universal access for people and businesses to secure and trustworthy electronic identification and authentication by means of a personal digital wallet on a mobile phone. With this step, some 80% of EU citizens could be able to use a digital ID solution to access key public services by 2030 according to the Council of the European Union. 

The wallet must be issued within an electronic identification system meeting the assurance level ‘high’ and the provisional agreement also clarifies that the issuance, use for authentication and revocation of wallets should be free of charge to natural persons. The wallet will also provide the possibility of e-signatures to natural persons free of charge. 

Including the provision of electronic ledgers 

EUROCROWD is pleased that our open letter from February 2023 and subsequent work, jointly with the International Association for Trusted Blockchain Applications (INATBA), the EU Digital Identity Wallet Consortium (EWC), the TRACE4EU Consortium, the Digital Credentials for Europe Large Scale Pilot (DC4EU), the European DIGITAL SME Alliance, Alastria, the French Federation of Blockchain Professionals (FFPB), IDunion, Association pour le Développement des Actif Numériques (ADAN), Crypto Economy Organisation, Mobility Open Blockchain Initiative (MOBI), Italia4Blockchain, the German Blockchain Association (Bundesblock), the Dutch Blockchain Coalition, Infrachain, and many more stakeholders sharing our concerns with the Members of the Parliament to reinstate these provisions to eIDAS 2 has carried fruits. The agreement now expands the current list of trust services with new qualified trust services, including the provision of electronic ledgers and the management of remote electronic signature and seal creation devices. 

The new rules imply a shift for issuers of European digital identity solutions, providing a common technical architecture and reference framework and common standards to be developed with member states. Users would therefore be able to rely on an improved ecosystem for electronic identity and trust services recognised and accepted everywhere in the EU. 

The technical work will continue to complete the legal text in accordance with the political agreement. When finalised, the text will be submitted to the member states’ representatives (Coreper) for endorsement. Subject to a legal/linguistic review, the revised regulation will then need to be formally adopted by the Parliament and the Council before it can be published in the EU’s Official Journal and enter into force. The press release of the Council of the EU can be found here.