The Council of the European Union announced, on June 29, 2023, that it had reached a provisional political agreement with the European Parliament on the core elements of a new framework for a European digital identity (eID), which would amend Regulation No. 910/2014 (eIDAS Regulation). In particular, the Parliament adopted its negotiating mandate for talks with the Council in March 2023.

Specifically, the Council highlighted that the new framework constitutes a clear paradigm shift for digital identity in the EU, as it aims to ensure universal access for people and businesses to secure and reliable electronic identification and authentication by means of a personal digital wallet on a mobile phone.

Among other things, the Council outlined that the new framework would rely on, and mandate the use of, relevant and existing cybersecurity certification schemes to certify the compliance of wallets with the applicable cybersecurity requirements. In this regard, the Council continued, to align the new framework and the existing cybersecurity legislation to the extent possible, EU Member States will designate public and private bodies accredited to certify digital wallets.

Once the finalized text of the new framework has been endorsed by the Committee of the Permanent Representatives of the Member States Governments (Coreper), it will need to be formally adopted by the Parliament and the Council before it can be published in the EU Official Journal and enter into force.

You can read the press release here.