Digital ID card integration for smartphones scheduled within 1.5 years - Government Official Announces Plan for New Smartphone Identification System, Targeting Rollout in 18 Months
Federal Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger of the CDU has announced that a smartphone-based digital ID card will be available to EU citizens within the next one and a half years. Speaking at the "Technology Experience Convention" in Heilbronn, Wildberger expressed optimism about the progress of the digital wallet development. The app, set to launch by the end of 2026 at the latest by early 2027, will not only serve as an online identification tool but will also enable people to digitally sign documents, open bank accounts, and store various IDs like driver's licenses and health cards.
Wildberger emphasized that the project's introduction would be a gradual process, acknowledging that no digital product is perfect at launch. The digital ID card initiative has already been commenced by the traffic light government and is mandated by an EU regulation, requiring all member states to offer at least one digital ID application by 2027. Notably, several EU countries, like Estonia, have already adopted digital ID cards.
The digital ID card is part of the European Union's push for digital sovereignty across the continent. With 80% of digital payments in Europe handled by companies outside the EU, sensitive payment data is frequently leaving the European legal framework daily. Wildberger stressed the necessity of creating reliable digital alternatives that citizens trust.
The usage of the digital ID card will be voluntary for EU citizens, who will be able to manage their identity securely and conveniently through the mobile wallet in areas such as banking, travel, business registration, academia, and tourism. By the end of 2027, regulated industries across the EU will be required to accept the digital ID card as a valid means of authentication.
The European Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallet, a government-backed mobile application, allows users to store and share verified personal credentials securely, paving the way for seamless digital interactions all across the European Union.
- The European Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallet, a government-backed mobile application, will offer vocational training in digital authentication, enabling citizens to digitally sign documents, open bank accounts, and store various IDs like driver's licenses and health cards, following the Federal Digital Minister's announcement.
- As part of the European Union's push for digital sovereignty, the voluntary use of the EUDI Wallet will extend to various sectors like banking, travel, business registration, academia, and tourism, offering EU citizens a secure and convenient means of managing their identity, while gradually replacing the reliance on gadgets and smartphones for sensitive transactions.
