Updated: 01.04.2026.
The European Digital Identity Wallet is set to be a mobile electronic identification solution enabling citizens and businesses to securely, quickly, and conveniently prove their identity and exchange personal data in digital environments across both public and private services.
The use of the European Digital Identity Wallet will be voluntary and will not replace existing national electronic identification solutions. Instead, it is intended as a complementary tool designed to simplify everyday interactions for EU citizens, by providing fast, convenient, and secure access to a wide range of services across the whole of the European Union.
In practice, the European Digital Identity Wallet will be as a smart device application. After downloading and installing the app, users will be able to use a state-issued identity document to set up the Wallet and store various personal data in it. Users will also be able to share selected data with service providers, retaining full control over which data sets are disclosed.
Based on specifications developed by the European Commission, each Member State will develop its own national digital identity wallet application, building on existing digital infrastructure. This approach will ensure the integration of existing national digital solutions with the new cross-border services across the European Union.
The development of the European Digital Identity Wallet is carried out in line with the EU’s Digital Decade policy programme “Path to the Digital Decade” and the requirements of the revised eIDAS Regulation.
The Wallet is intended to address current challenges in EU digital identification, particularly the technical fragmentation of national solutions and their limited mutual recognition. At present, citizens and businesses are often unable to use their national digital identity means in other EU Member States, which restricts access to cross-border digital services.
The European Digital Identity Wallet will provide a unified and secure way for individuals to prove their identity and share verified personal attributes across the European Union. This will enable a wide range of use cases, such as applying for studies abroad, opening a bank account, signing documents, or accessing public and private online services. As a result, it will facilitate the use of cross-border services, reduce administrative burden, and strengthen trust in digital solutions.
At the same time, the Wallet will give users greater control over their personal data by allowing them to decide what information is shared with service providers, and to what extent. This will support the development of more secure, transparent, and user-centric digital services across the European Union.
Convenient - access to services across the EU, both online and offline, directly from a personal device
Reliable - a government-issued, EU-recognised solution that meets strict EU data protection and security standards
Secure - users remain in full control of their data, deciding what information is shared, with whom, and for what purpose
In line with the timeline set by the European Commission, Latvia plans to introduce the first version of the European Digital Identity Wallet in December 2026. The initial version will enable user identification and the use of electronic signatures. Following its launch, continuous development will focus on enhancing and expanding the Wallet’s functionality, progressively enabling broader use of digital identity services.
The European Commission foresees that, in the future, the Digital Identity Wallet will support a wide range of use cases across both public and private sectors, including:
- Identification across digital platforms
- Electronic signature
- Age verification
- Payments and banking
- Mobile driving licences
- Disability cards
- Digital travel credentials
- And more
The European Digital Identity Wallet will be continuously developed and enhanced, reflecting user needs and service provider adoption, and progressively supporting a wider range of digital services across the European Union.
The European Digital Identity Wallet is expected to be launched across the European Union by 24 December 2026.
In Latvia, responsibility for implementing the eIDAS 2.0 Regulation lies with the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development, which has appointed the State Digital Development Agency to coordinate and deliver the national deployment of the Wallet.
As part of these efforts, the Ministry, together with its partners, participated in the NOBID pilot project between 2023 and 2025, contributing to the development of early European Digital Identity Wallet prototypes.
This work is being further advanced through the APTITUDE pilot project, where solutions are currently being tested to support secure, seamless, and interoperable use of digital identity across Europe.