Digital Ministry tests European digital identity together with BundID

The German federal government is currently working on a state-run digital wallet based on the legal act for a European digital identity (EUid). The goal of the European Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI) is to provide citizens with a free and secure tool that will allow them to digitally identify themselves across the EU in the future. This time, there should be no fiasco like the ID Wallet project, which was declared a failure for the e-driving license and a virtual wallet.

To test the EUDI Wallet for its suitability for e-government at an early stage, the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDS) has launched a practical testing initiative together with the Saxon State Chancellery and the state capital Dresden. This is a practical testing initiative with the Saxon State Chancellery and the state capital Dresden. The aim is to implement the EU requirements into concrete, everyday solutions.

To this end, the participants are focusing on two use cases: the Dresden Pass enables low-income citizens to receive various discounts, for example in public transport, culture, and education. The Saxon Volunteer Card offers discounts for dedicated individuals throughout the Free State. Both proofs of entitlement are to be used in the future via the EUDI Wallet, both online and on-site at acceptance points.

The BMDS considers the experiences gained from this test to be crucial for the later nationwide connection of administration. The focus should be on user-friendliness.

The BundID as a central interface

The BundID plays a key role in the pilot run. It can already be used today as a central interface for citizen identification and authentication as well as for the exchange of proofs via the central citizen mailbox (ZBP). Currently, after a cautious start, a brief increase in demand, and later account declines, it can be used as a basic service of the Online Access Act (OZG) for around 1800 municipal online services. This online ID is now intended to enable fast and uncomplicated integration of public administration with the EUDI Wallet. It is planned that all e-government services connected to the BundID will also automatically interact with the EUDI Wallet in the future.

The pilot project in Saxony is intended as a nationwide reference framework. After the planned testing phase in the third and fourth quarters of 2026, the use of the EUDI Wallet for identification with the BundID and the issuance of proofs via the citizen mailbox are to be implemented by the end of next year. In general, however, EU member states must also provide all citizens with the digital wallet by December 2026.

Federal cooperation at the center

The project is closely coordinated with the Federal Agency for Disruptive Innovation (Sprind), which is commissioned with the development of the wallet. The findings from the testing will be incorporated into a comprehensive target vision for nationwide implementation, in which federal states, municipalities, and IT committees are also involved. Initial results are to be presented to the IT Planning Council in November for a decision on the technical implementation.

The EUDI Wallet itself goes beyond a mere digital identity card. It is intended to allow various personal documents to be securely stored and managed on the smartphone. These include driver's licenses, educational and health documents, registration certificates, and travel documents.

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