A digital wallet does not replace the existing national electronic identification solutions. The European Commission is developing an open source code prototype for the digital wallet. Based on this, every Member State will create a digital wallet application for their own citizens, built on their existing digital architecture. This way, the capabilities of a digital state are combined with new cross-border solutions.
The digital wallet solution is going to be adopted in Europe in 2026.
The Information System Authority (RIA) manages the development of the Estonian digital wallet.
AS Cybernetica, a contractual partner of RIA, has analysed the architecture of the technical solution of the future Estonian digital wallet and its compatibility with the existing ecosystem of electronic identity. In addition, preliminary analyses regarding various certificates that can be issued and used in the digital wallet (including a mobile driving licence) have been completed. The follow-up projects will demonstrate whether a mobile ID card and driving licence, compliant with standards and legislative norms, will be available not only in Estonia, but also in other Member States.
Analyses (in Estonian)
Digital wallets compliant with the EU standards must be usable in Estonian information systems for authentication, submission of the data of citizens, and providing digital signatures. The purpose is not to reduce our user experience so far, but to add new possibilities and to take solutions created in Estonia to a new Europe-wide technological level.
The European Commission has decided to support four projects for testing the possibilities of using the wallet in everyday activities to test the user stories of the EU digital wallet as well as cross-border cooperation. These pilot projects test the entire e-ID ecosystem, including issuing digital wallets to users, adding personal data and additional documents to the wallet, and sending this information to service providers.
Estonia, coordinated by RIA, is participating in the pilot project Potential for the development of a technical solution for testing a digital driving licence.
Last updated: 21.01.2024
