The process of using electronic means to verify a person's identity, forming the foundation of the eIDAS regulation and the basis for cross-border digital identity in the EU.
Electronic Identification (eID) refers to the use of digital credentials and electronic processes to establish and verify the identity of a natural or legal person. Under the original eIDAS regulation, eID was built around national electronic identification schemes that Member States could voluntarily notify to the European Commission, enabling cross-border mutual recognition. However, uptake was limited: only a fraction of Member States notified their schemes, and cross-border usage remained low.
eIDAS 2.0 fundamentally changes this landscape. While the notification mechanism for national eID schemes is retained, it is now complemented, and in practice overshadowed, by the mandatory provision of the European Digital Identity Wallet.
The regulation requires that every Member State offer at least one EUDIW, which itself functions as an eID means at a high Level of Assurance. The wallet approach addresses many of the shortcomings of the original eID framework: it provides a common user experience across Member States, supports both online and offline use cases, and integrates identity verification with attribute attestation and electronic signing. eID within the wallet is based on Person Identification Data (PID), which includes a minimum mandatory dataset, typically name, date of birth, and a unique identifier, issued by or on behalf of the Member State.
The PID is the anchor of trust in the wallet ecosystem, as it binds the wallet holder to a verified identity. For organisations, understanding eID in the context of eIDAS 2.0 means recognising that the wallet is the primary channel through which European citizens will prove their identity digitally, and that relying parties must be prepared to accept it.
Related Terms
eID Scheme
A national electronic identification system established by a Member State, defining how electronic identities are issued, managed, and used for authentication.
Core RegulationLevel of Assurance (LoA)
A measure of confidence in the identity verification process, classified as low, substantial, or high under eIDAS, determining the trust level of an electronic identification means.
Core RegulationPerson Identification Data (PID)
The core set of identity attributes, such as name, date of birth, and a unique identifier, issued by a Member State and stored in the EUDIW, forming the foundation of the wallet holder's digital identity.
Digital IdentityEuropean Digital Identity Wallet (EUDIW)
A mobile application that every EU Member State must provide to citizens and residents, enabling them to store and present digital identity credentials and attestations across borders.
Digital Identity