Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

Brussels aims to create new EU-wide digital identity

Brussels aims to create new EU-wide digital identity

The cross-border instrument will allow EU citizens to open bank accounts, file tax returns and enrol in university. #BrusselsBureau

The European Commission has put forward plans to establish a European digital "identity" that citizens will be able to use to open bank accounts, file tax returns and enrol in university.

Every EU citizen, resident and business inside the European Union will have the right to obtain the digital identity, although it won't be mandatory. The tool will be free-of-charge and valid in all 27 member states.

Users will be able to easily display the new ID on their phone screens and other electronic devices.

The Commission wants citizens to use the European Digital Identity for all sorts of everyday tasks, such as requesting birth certificates, reporting a change of address, renting a car, applying for a loan or checking in a hotel. All public services and large private platforms will be obliged to accept it.

The new instrument will not replace the traditional ID issued by national governments but will provide citizens with an extra tool that they can manage and employ across borders, the Commission says. Users will be allowed to link their national ID with other documents such as diplomas and driving licences.

"The European digital identity will enable us to do in any member state as we do at home without any extra cost and fewer hurdles. Be that renting a flat or opening a bank account outside of our home country," said Margrethe Vestager, the Commission's executive vice-president, on Thursday afternoon.

"This is a unique opportunity to take us all further into experiencing what it means to live in Europe, and to be European."


Secure digital identity?


Brussels wants this new European identity to be "trusted and secure" in line with the bloc's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The executive says the digital wallet will let people choose what kind of personal data they want to include and share.

Like GDPR, the European Digital Identity will be underpinned by a regulation, which means all member states will have to adopt the tool under the same conditions to avoid discrepancies.

The draft law presented on Thursday will enter discussions and negotiations between the EU's co-legislators: the European Parliament and the Council. The Commission believes the digital identity can be up and running one year after its entry into force, as long as the necessary technical works is conducted by governments alongside the private sector.

The latest move from Brussels comes as the coronavirus pandemic accelerates the digitalisation of economies and societies. However, the proposal is not entirely new and builds on a predecessor, called eIDAS Regulation.

Adopted back in 2014, the eIDAS Regulation laid the ground for cross-border electronic identification and authentication. But the system lacked provisions to make all national systems compatible with each other. It also excluded the use for private services and the integration with mobile devices.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
×