Euro-Parliament ready to negotiate for EU-wide digital wallet
Mobile phone - Photo © Tanusha - Fotolia
(STRASBOURG) - The EU Parliament confirmed Thursday its negotiating mandate on a new digital identity framework which would provide EU citizens with digital access to key public services across EU borders.
The new eID directive would allow citizens to identify and authenticate themselves online (via a European digital identity wallet) without having to resort to commercial providers, as is the case today - a practice that has raised trust, security and privacy concerns. It would also give users full control of their data and let them decide what information to share and with whom.
Today, only about 60% of the EU population in 14 Member States are able to use their national eID cross-border.
While only 14% of key public service providers across all Member States allow cross-border authentication with an e-Identity system, for example to prove a person's identity on the internet without the need for a password.
The new EU-wide digital wallet would be available to any EU citizen, resident, or business in the EU who wants to use it. It would be widely useable as a way of identification or to confirm certain personal attributes for the purpose of access to public and private digital services across the EU. And it would give full control to users to choose which aspects of their identity, data and certificates they share with third parties, and keep track of such sharing.
Following plenary's endorsement, discussions with the Council on the final form of the legislation may begin immediately. Parliament's position during the negotiations will be based on the amendments adopted in the Industry, Research and Energy Committee in February. The Council adopted its negotiating mandate in December 2022.
Further information, European Parliament