When you hear about \u201edigital ID\u201c, \u201eEuropean identity wallet\u201c or \u201eEUDI wallet\u201c, it sounds abstract at first - almost like another complicated IT project from Brussels. Many people have never consciously heard of \u201eeIDAS 2.0\u201c, the underlying EU regulations. And yet this project will affect almost every citizen of the European Union in the long term.<\/p>\n
In essence, it is about something that we have been carrying around with us on paper or as a plastic card in our everyday lives for decades: official proof of our identity. Until now, we have had various documents - ID card, driver's license, health insurance card, tax ID, account login, insurance number. Each system works separately, each with its own processes, often confusing and sometimes annoying.<\/p>\n
The EU is now pursuing the goal of merging these scattered areas of identity into a standardized digital solution. A kind of digital ID on a smartphone that can be used for dealing with authorities, banking transactions, medical access, tickets, contracts and many other situations. The form chosen for this is called a \u201ewallet\u201c: an app that contains all the important digital proofs of identity.<\/p>\n
The topic is really very complex and somewhat dry, so I'll try to keep everything as concise and understandable as possible in this rather extensive article.<\/p>\n