In its latest ambitious digital policy announcement, the European Union has proposed creating a framework for a “trusted and secure European e-ID” (aka digital identity) — which it sais today it wants to be available to all citizens, residents and businesses to make it easer to use a national digital identity to prove who they are in order to access public sector or commercial services regardless of where they are in the bloc.
The EU does already have a regulation on electronic authentication systems (eIDAS), which entered into force in 2014, but the commission’s intention with the e-ID proposal is to expand on that by addressing some of its limitations and inadequacies (such as poor uptake and a lack of mobile support).
It also wants the e-ID framework to incorporate digital wallets — meaning the user will be able to choose to download a wallet app to a mobile device where they can store and selectively share electronic documents that might be needed for a specific identity verification transaction, such as when opening a bank account or applying for a loan. Other functions (like e-signing) are also envisaged being supported by these e-ID digital wallets.
Source: TechCrunch
TechCrunch
