EU Digital Identity Wallet

The introduction of the European Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI-Wallet) is the basis for the creation of a digital identity ecosystem in the European Union. This development is closely linked to the amendment of the Electronic Identification, Authentication and Trust Services (eIDAS) Regulation which facilitates the cross-border recognition of recognition of digital identities and trust services within the EU. The Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology (FIT) offers with this white paper a comprehensive analysis of the use cases, potential uses and challenges of the challenges of the EUDI wallet for companies.

The eIDAS Regulation aims to create a Europe-wide basis for digital identities, which are particularly essential when using cross-border electronic services. The EUDI wallet is intended to serve as a central digital wallet in which verifiable data is stored securely. The EU member states are obliged to offer a free EUDI wallet solution by 2026. This should ensure broad dissemination of the ecosystem by 2030. To this end, the technical foundations and practical applicability of the wallet are currently being tested in four European pilot projects.

The white paper highlights various areas of application for the EUDI wallet. In the financial sector, the EUDI wallet can facilitate compliance with legal requirements by enabling automated and secure verification of digital identities. This can save effort and costs for the financial institutions using it. In the retail sector, the EUDI Wallet can be used for the purchase of goods that are subject to certain conditions, such as age verification or personalized digital goods. This can improve the efficiency and security of transactions. There are also promising potential applications in the healthcare sector. The integration of e-prescriptions into the wallet can simplify the purchase of prescription drugs. In addition, medical product passports and electronic patient records can be managed efficiently. For public administration, the wallet represents an opportunity to consistently implement the digitalization of processes, which can relieve the burden on companies and individuals in particular who frequently interact with authorities.

Please read here more about the European Digital Identity Wallet in our recently published white paper (in German).