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eIDAS & EU Digital Identity

Definition

eIDAS (Electronic Identification, Authentication and Trust Services) is the EU regulation establishing a legal framework for electronic identification and trust services. eIDAS 2.0 (2024) introduces the EU Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI Wallet) — the most ambitious digital identity initiative globally.

eIDAS 1.0 (2014) → eIDAS 2.0 (2024)

Aspect eIDAS 1.0 (2014) eIDAS 2.0 (2024)
Scope Mutual recognition of national eIDs Universal digital identity wallet for all EU citizens
Coverage Government services only Government + private sector (banks, telecom, health)
Wallet No wallet concept EUDI Wallet mandatory for all member states
Users Limited adoption Target: 450M EU citizens by 2026-2027
Selective disclosure No Yes — prove age without revealing DOB
Cross-border Limited interoperability Full cross-border recognition

EU Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI Wallet)

graph TD
    A[Government] -->|Issues| B[Identity Credential<br/>Name, DOB, nationality]
    C[University] -->|Issues| D[Diploma Credential]
    E[Bank] -->|Issues| F[Account Credential]
    G[Hospital] -->|Issues| H[Health Card]

    B & D & F & H --> I[EUDI Wallet<br/>On user's phone]

    I -->|Presents selectively| J[Bank: Name + DOB + nationality]
    I -->|Presents selectively| K[Bar: Age > 18 only]
    I -->|Presents selectively| L[Employer: Diploma only]

    style I fill:#4051B5,color:#fff

Key Features

Feature Details
Mandatory All EU member states must offer EUDI Wallet by 2026-2027
Acceptance required Large platforms, banks, telecom must accept wallet for identity
Selective disclosure Share only what's needed (e.g., "over 18" without revealing exact DOB)
Cross-border French wallet works in German bank, Spanish university, etc.
User control User decides what to share, with whom, and can revoke
Free for citizens Wallet app provided free by member states
Standards Based on W3C Verifiable Credentials, ISO 18013-5 (mDL)

Impact on eKYC

Current eKYC in EU With EUDI Wallet
Capture passport/ID → OCR → face match → DB check User presents identity credential from wallet
30-60 seconds, error-prone 2-5 seconds, cryptographically verified
Store document copies (GDPR headache) Store verification proof only (no PII)
Different process per country Standardized across all 27 EU states

Key Takeaways

Summary

  • eIDAS 2.0 mandates EU Digital Identity Wallet for 450M citizens by 2026-2027
  • Banks, telecom, and large platforms must accept the wallet for identity verification
  • Selective disclosure (prove age without DOB) is a game-changer for privacy
  • For eKYC: document capture + OCR + face matching partially replaced by wallet credential verification
  • eKYC providers must add wallet credential verification to their capabilities