The Council presidency and the European Parliament have reached a provisional agreement on a new framework for a European digital identity (eID) to provide all Europeans with a trusted and secure digital identity.

Under the new agreement, member states will provide citizens and businesses with digital wallets that link their national digital identities with other personal attributes, such as driving licences and diplomas. This will enable individuals to easily prove their identity and share electronic documents directly from their digital wallets using their mobile phones. National digital identification within these wallets will be recognised throughout Europe, eliminating the need for private identification methods and excessive sharing of personal data.

Technical work will continue to finalize the legal text according to the provisional agreement. Once finalized, the text will be submitted to the representatives of member states (Coreper) for endorsement. After undergoing a legal and linguistic review, the revised regulation must be formally adopted by the European Parliament and the Council before being published in the EU's Official Journal and coming into force.

Why does it matter?

This agreement marks a significant step towards establishing a unique and secure European digital identity, positioning the European Union as a global leader in the digital field, and safeguarding democratic rights and values.