Building trust, unlocking growth in Europe

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent in any way the editorial position of Euronews.

Europe is about to place a digital identity wallet in the hands of every citizen. Writes Jacques Van Zijp in an OpEd for Euronews. It could become the trust layer of the European economy and a growth driver in a single market that works at digital speed. A model that has value well beyond Europe.

Anyone who has recently opened a bank account, rented a flat or signed up to a new service knows the routine. Photograph your identity document. Upload proof of address. Enter the same information again. Then wait for it to be verified. Try the same in another Member State and the process can become even more cumbersome.

This is not merely an irritation or a privacy issue. It weighs on European economies through abandoned transactions, duplicated verification costs, slow onboarding, fraud losses and cross-border friction that a single market is supposed to have removed.

From identification to verification

The significance of the EUDI Wallet does not lie in producing a digital duplicate of an identity document on a smartphone. It changes what we are asked to prove.

Today, identity systems largely work by identification: you reveal who you are, and the other party determines whether you qualify. The Wallet enables verification: proving the specific fact that matters. A citizen could, for example, demonstrate that they are over eighteen without disclosing their name, address or date of birth.

This gives the citizens greater control over the information they share, while reducing the volume of personal data circulating through the economy.

Dissolving a false trade-off

For two decades, digital services have largely been designed around an assumption that security, privacy and performance pull against one another. More security meant more friction. More privacy meant less convenience.

The Wallet can change that equation. A credential certified by a trusted authority can be verified instantly, in person or remotely, without manual review. Data disclosure can be limited to what the transaction actually requires, while simpler processes reduce reduces the friction at which customers give up.

Less data disclosed. Stronger assurance. Faster transactions. Three objectives that used to compete can now move in the same direction.

Where the growth comes from

The potential applications are broad: verified bank account and employment information, driving licences and diplomas, electronic signatures, or confirmation that someone is authorised to act on behalf of another person or a company.

For businesses, this can lower costs, accelerate onboarding, strengthen authentication and reduce abandoned journeys. In complex and sensitive sectors such as energy, transport, health and defense supply chains, trusted professional credentials can also simplify secure access.

For the single market, the prize is larger still. Portable credentials can make it easier for citizens and businesses to operate across Member States, removing administrative barriers that continue to inhibit cross-border activity.

This is also where digital sovereigntybecomes tangible. Anchoring these exchanges in European law, standards and identity infrastructure gives Europe the opportunity to develop its own model of digital trust, combining interoperability with privacy, and innovation with democratic control.

That model could have relevance beyond Europe, as governments across Africa, Asia and Latin America develop their own digital identity systems. But its value lies not in the technology alone. Proportionality, user control and data protection are fundamental to its success.

Availability is not yet adoption

None of this happens automatically. Launching a Wallet is a milestone, not the objective. Success depends on whether citizens use it and whether public authorities and businesses integrate it into the services people rely on.

At IN Groupe, our work supporting Wallet and credential pilots for public and private issuers across several Member States points to four conditions that are likely to shape adoption.

The first is enrolment. Activating the Wallet and obtaining credentials must be simple, reliable and accessible from the outset.

The second is inclusion. Citizens have different levels of digital confidence and access to technology. Support, alternative channels and delegation mechanisms will be essential to ensure digitalisation does not create new barriers.

The third is recourse. Information can be incorrect, credentials can fail and devices can be lost. Clear mechanisms for correction and recovery will be essential to maintaining trust.

The fourth is the ecosystem. Businesses may hesitate to invest without sufficient users, while citizens may see little reason to adopt a Wallet until it works with services they value. Governments can help break this deadlock by enabling high-value public and working with private sector providers to create compelling every day use cases for citizens.

The regulatory framework has created the opportunity. The technology is ready. What remains is the harder, more valuable work: building services that citizens choose to use. Europe has legislated trust.

Now we must earn it. The growth will follow.

Jacques Van Zijp is Executive Vice President Europe at IN Groupe, a French state-owned company that specializes in secure identity and document systems and a global leader in secure identity and trust services.

Source: www.euronews.com