On April 30, 2024, the Regulation (EU) 2024/1183 establishing the European Digital Identity Framework (the Regulation) was published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Background

In July 2020, the European Commission opened a consultation with various private and public stakeholders to examine barriers to the development of electronic identification (eID) services in the EU. The feedback collected pointed to the need for multiple digital identities, an extension of the use of digital identification to the private sector, the harmonization of certifications, security, and legal requirements, and the expansion of cross-border frameworks.

Following this, the Commission proposed the Regulation establishing a framework for a European Digital Identity and amending Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the internal market.

Key provisions of the Regulation

The Regulation aims to ensure the provision of an adequate level of security of electronic identification services used across the EU to enable and facilitate the exercise by natural and legal persons of the right to access online public and private services, including cross-border access, throughout the EU.

In particular, the Regulation, among other things:

• lays down the conditions under which Member States are to recognize natural and legal persons' electronic identification means emanating from another Member State, and provide and recognize European Digital Identity Wallets (EUDI Wallet);
• establishes a legal framework for electronic signatures, electronic seals, electronic time stamps, electronic documents, electronic registered delivery services, certificate services for website authentication, electronic archiving, electronic attestation of attributes, electronic signature creation devices, electronic seal creation devices, and electronic ledgers;
• sets out provisions on the EUDI Wallet, including expected actions in situations of security breaches and compromises of the EUDI Wallets, supervision of the EUDI Wallet Framework, and protection of personal data; and
• mandates the Commission to establish a European Digital Identity Cooperation Group.

Next steps

The Regulation will enter into force on May 20, 2024. The deadline for the publication of the first set of implementing acts related to EUDI Wallet and electronic attribute attestations is set for November 21, 2024, and for other implementing acts related to all other trust services on May 21, 2025.

You can read the Regulation in multiple languages here.