The eiDAS Summit

Europe’s Digital Identity Moment: From Vision to Execution

There are moments at conferences when you can feel that something is shifting.

Day one of the eIDAS Summit 2026 was one of those moments.

What struck me most was not just the topic itself — the EUDI Wallet — but the alignment around it. Policy, business, and consumer representatives all seemed to agree: this is no longer about vision. It’s about making it work.

More than a government project

At the very beginning, Markus Richter set the tone: The EUDI Wallet is not a purely governmental solution, but an enabler for economic processes.

That may sound like a subtle distinction, but it changes everything.

Because once digital identity is framed as economic infrastructure, the conversation shifts. It’s no longer just about regulation or compliance — it’s about value creation.

A noticeable change in the conversation

Throughout the day, one thing became increasingly clear: The discussions have matured.

Less speculation. Less “what if”. More focus on practical questions:

• What are the first meaningful use cases?
• How can the wallet be integrated into existing systems?
• And how do we ensure interoperability across Europe — not just technically, but operationally?

It may sound less exciting than big visions. But this is exactly where real progress begins.

Trust is the real currency

One topic stood out across all sessions: communication.

Markus Reichel emphasized that successful implementation will depend heavily on how well the benefits are communicated.

And he’s right.

Because digital identity is not just a technical challenge. It’s a question of trust.

From a consumer perspective, Heike Troue put it simply: The “gold standard” will only succeed if it works in practice — and consistently across Europe.

248 days

Then there’s the timeline.

In just 248 days (starting April 29, 2026), the EUDI Wallet is expected to go live. By 2027, regulated industries and public authorities will be required to accept it as a means of identification.

That’s ambitious.

But perhaps necessary.

Because large-scale infrastructure projects rarely succeed without a clear sense of urgency.

Why this matters

At its core, the EUDI Wallet is about one simple idea: A secure, privacy-preserving digital identity for all of Europe.

A key concept here is selective disclosure: Users only share the information that is strictly necessary for a specific interaction.

No more “all or nothing”. No more unnecessary data exposure.

What sounds technical has very real implications:

• Processes become simpler
• Friction is reduced
• Digital services become easier to use and scale

In other words: Things that feel unnecessarily complicated today could become almost invisible tomorrow.

Between ambition and execution

Despite the strong alignment and momentum, one question remains:

Can Europe deliver on this vision pragmatically?

The ingredients are well known:

• Legal clarity
• Early, meaningful use cases
• Integration into existing infrastructures
• Active participation from businesses
• And, ultimately, user trust

The challenge is not defining these factors. It’s executing them — consistently and at scale.

A personal takeaway

I’ve rarely seen such a clear strategic direction.

And at the same time, I’ve rarely felt so strongly that the real work is only just beginning.

Europe has a unique opportunity here — not just to build a technical solution, but to set a global standard for digital identity.

Whether that happens will be decided in the months ahead.

On site, exchanging perspectives and insights together with Hristo Iliev, Erdinch Mehmedali, Sandra Thalhammer, Katja Eberle and Michelle Wernicke.