Enhancements to eIDAS 2.0 and its role in securing Europe's digital history
The European Union has taken a significant step towards creating a digital European market with the adoption of the eIDAS 2.0 regulation in 2024. This update to the original 2014 eIDAS framework aims to establish a unified, government-backed digital identity system for citizens, residents, and businesses across the EU [1].
### The EU Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI Wallet)
The core innovation of eIDAS 2.0 is the introduction of the EUDI Wallet, a secure digital identity wallet that allows users to access both public and private online services across the EU in a user-controlled and interoperable manner [1]. Every EU country must provide at least one wallet app that complies with common European standards and make it available at no cost [1].
### Beyond Public Services
Unlike its predecessor, eIDAS 1.0, which mainly focused on cross-border recognition of national eIDs for accessing public administrative services, eIDAS 2.0 explicitly enables private sector services—including banks, fintech companies, e-commerce platforms, and employers—to use these wallets for secure identification and data exchange [1].
### Adoption of Open Standards and Protocols
The wallet ecosystem is built on well-established technologies such as W3C Verifiable Credentials, Selective Disclosure JSON Web Tokens (SD-JWT), mobile Driving Licenses (mDL), and protocols like OpenID Connect. This adoption facilitates easier integration with existing IT infrastructures and enhances future-proofing [1].
### Enhanced Privacy and Security
The framework enforces selective data sharing and strong authentication methods that minimize data exposure and maximize trust. It also supports biometric verification for remote users, especially for accessing high-assurance credentials under strict security requirements [1][3].
### Comparison with eIDAS 1.0
eIDAS 2.0 diverges from its predecessor in several key aspects. The core focus has shifted from cross-border recognition of national eIDs to unified EU-wide digital identity wallets for broad use. The service scope has expanded from primarily public administrative online services to public and private sector services [see table below].
### Market Impact
The introduction of eIDAS 2.0 is expected to transform both the public and private sectors across Europe by enabling seamless cross-border digital identity verification, increasing trust and security in online transactions, creating new business opportunities, and driving digital transformation and innovation in identity-related services and infrastructures.
### Role of Companies like Intesa and Other Technology Partners
Though Intesa is not directly mentioned in the eIDAS 2.0 documents, technology firms like Procivis and Ubiqu play critical roles in its implementation by developing secure onboarding solutions, providing secure key storage solutions, building user-ready, interoperable digital trust infrastructures, and acting as partners to governments and enterprises to deploy wallets and ensure compliance with technical and security requirements [2].
In sum, eIDAS 2.0 positions Europe at the forefront of a robust, privacy-preserving digital identity infrastructure, extending beyond government services to a wide range of private sector applications with strong security guarantees. The regulation's alignment with existing open standards facilitates broad adoption and smoother integration by these technology providers [1].
[1] European Commission (2024). eIDAS Regulation 2024/XX: Enabling Trust and Security in the Digital Single Market. Retrieved from
The EUDI Wallet, a secure digital identity wallet introduced in eIDAS 2.0, allows users to access both public and private online services across the EU, enhancing the scope beyond just general-news and public services [1]. The private sector, including finance and technology companies, can utilize these wallets for secure identification and data exchange [1].
