EU Launches Large Scale Pilots for Digital Identity Wallets

The European Union has initiated two co-funded Large Scale Pilots aimed at developing a secure and interoperable ecosystem for the European Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallet. The pilots, managed by the APTITUDE and WE BUILD consortia, involve collaboration among EU member states, public authorities, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), large European corporations, and international digital identity specialists.

The APTITUDE Consortium will focus on a variety of applications, including travel credentials and mobile vehicle registration certificates. Their objective is to enhance the interoperability, usability, and scalability of EUDI Wallets while promoting their benefits to users. The consortium aims to streamline interactions across business-to-business (B2B), business-to-government (B2G), and business-to-consumer (B2C) sectors.

As part of this initiative, more than 550 private companies and public authorities across 26 EU member states, along with Norway, Iceland, and Ukraine, are participating in these pilots. The European Commission is set to host an event in Brussels from December 10 to 12, 2023, to facilitate collaboration and technical alignment among wallet developers and service providers. This gathering will provide an opportunity for national teams to conduct peer-to-peer interoperability tests and discuss shared design guidelines.

Steve Pannifer, Senior Vice President of Digital Identity at Fime, highlighted the challenges of developing the EUDI Wallet, stating, “It’s not just about doing a wallet. It’s doing a wallet, and having it work within that emerging ecosystem.” His insights reflect the complexity of the task at hand, especially with a deadline of December 2026, by which member states are mandated to offer digital wallets to their citizens and businesses.

The WE BUILD consortium is also pivotal in this effort, with participants focusing on the technical aspects of digital identity and payment solutions. The consortium’s name stands for “Wallet Ecosystem Building in Large-scale Deployments.” Notably, Procivis, a beneficiary partner within WE BUILD, announced its readiness to provide technology for eIDAS 2.0 compliant digital identities. Co-CEO Désirée Heutschi expressed enthusiasm for contributing to a robust ecosystem, emphasizing, “WE BUILD is a milestone for the digital economy in Europe.”

Currently, there are six Large Scale Pilot projects testing the EUDI Wallet, with two actively underway. The remaining four have completed their development phases. The tests encompass more than 11 everyday use cases for the EUDI Wallet, highlighting the initiative’s scope and ambition.

During the upcoming Brussels event, the focus will be on various wallet use cases developed under the grant agreements. UX and accessibility specialists will convene to establish design guidelines, while public administration representatives will collaborate on strategies for rolling out the EUDI Wallet. Attendance will be limited to participants currently involved in the initiative, ensuring a targeted approach to discussions and demonstrations.

As the European Union advances toward the integration of digital identity wallets, the collaboration of diverse stakeholders underscores the importance of creating a secure and efficient digital environment for all citizens and businesses across Europe.