On June 3, the European Commission proposed a framework for a European Digital Identity which will be available to all EU citizens, residents, and businesses in the EU. Citizens will be able to prove their identity and share electronic documents from their European Digital Identity wallets with the option to use the latter on a voluntary basis.
Electronic identification is defined by the draft regulation as a material and/or immaterial unit, including European Digital Identity Wallets or ID cards following Regulation 2019/1157 (i.e. European identity card), containing person identification data and which is used for authentication for an online or offline service.
Some of the key provisions read as follows:
User should be enabled to securely obtain, store, select, combine and share identification data and electronic attestation of attributes to authenticate online and offline in order to use online public and private services.
Digital Identity Wallets should provide a common interface to service providers and relying parties and for the user to allow interaction with the European Digital Identity Wallet and display an “EU Digital Identity Wallet Trust Mark’.
Member States should provide validation mechanisms for the European Digital Identity Wallets to, among others, ensure that its authenticity and validity can be verified.
Member states should implement a common mechanism for the authentication of relying parties.
The European Digital Identity Wallets shall be free of charge to natural persons.
The user shall be in full control of the European Digital Identity Wallet.
Digital Identity Wallets may be subject to the EU cybersecurity certification framework but will be subject to compulsory compliance assessment.
Member states will have to publish a list of certified European Digital Identity Wallets.
Security breach of the European Digital Identity Wallets will result in immediate suspension of the issuance, revocation of the validity of the European Digital Identity Wallet and communication of this change to the other Member States and the Commission accordingly.
In parallel to the legislative process, the Commission stated that it will work with Member States and the private sector on technical aspects of the European Digital Identity.
The Commission also planned to work with other member states to launch a common toolbox by September 2022 that would include the technical architecture, standards as well as guidelines for best practices.