EU targets 2024 for European Digital Identity Wallet launch

Three men looking at European Digital Identity Wallet on phone
DIGITAL ID: The EU plans large-scale pilots of the European Digital Identity Wallet in 2023

The European Union is preparing to go live with its European Digital Identity Wallet in 2024, enabling all EU citizens to store digital identity credentials including their national ID, driving licence, and qualification and bank account details, according to EU sources.

The EU aims to publish technical specifications and common standards for the wallet being developed with member states and private-sector stakeholders by the end of 2022 before beginning large-scale pilot projects and completing the legislative process required next year.

“The legislative process could be completed by next spring, setting the stage for the wallet to go live in 2024,” Romana Jerkovic, MEP and member of the EU’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), told media outlet Raconteur.

“Under the plan, EU member states will have 12 months to issue their wallets once the regulation is adopted.”

“On the legislative front, an initial vote on the revised eIDAS regulation in the ITRE Committee is also expected before the end of the year, after which informal negotiations can begin among representatives of the Commission, the Parliament and the Council of the European Union on the proposal,” Raconteur adds.

The EU laid out plans for the European Digital Identity Wallet in June 2021.

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