GlobalPlatform Provides Security Framework to Launch Europe’s Landmark eID Wallet Digital Ecosystem

Redwood City, CA - June 25, 2024 – GlobalPlatform, the standard for secure digital services and devices, is accelerating efforts to support a scalable European Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallet by introducing new solutions to help EU Member States and smartphone vendors seamlessly implement the Europe-wide digital ID wallet (eID Wallet) scheme. To encourage broad government and industry adoption of digital ID wallets, GlobalPlatform will bring stakeholders together to explore the latest developments at a unique event in Brussels on October 10.

The EUDI Wallet forms part of the recently approved eIDAS 2.0 regulation, which gives the EU the green light to advance the introduction of a cross-border digital identity scheme for all citizens and businesses across the EU, beginning in 2026. The EUDI Wallet will securely store and manage identity documents such as passports, driving licences, and health records, in a single application. It will allow users to easily authenticate themselves when making online transactions, accessing government services, and in other situations where identity verification or digital signature is required.

The EU is aiming for 80 percent of EU citizens to be equipped with an eID Wallet by 2030. It plans for the EUDI Wallet to be used seamlessly across all 27 EU Member States regardless of the EU state in which it is issued.

A Proven Security Framework for Europe’s eID Wallet
The EU has mandated that a secure element (SE) be used within the device—typically a smartphone—to meet the requirements of a high level of assurance (LoA) as defined by eIDAS. The EU Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) is in the process of defining a certification scheme for the EUDI Wallet.

GlobalPlatform is helping Member States better protect their citizens’ identity and related data by optimizing its SE specifications for EUDI Wallet schemes. The GlobalPlatform SE is widely deployed in different form factors on smartphones, including removable SIM cards (UICC), embedded Secure Elements (eSE), embedded SIM (eUICC), and integrated SIM (iSIM). All these SEs are implemented and certified according to GlobalPlatform specifications to ensure trust and interoperability. By using a technology that is already built into the vast majority of today’s smartphones, the GlobalPlatform SE provides the foundation for a new digital ecosystem across Europe, unlocking new revenue opportunities for governments and industry.

GlobalPlatform Executive Director Ana Tavares Lattibeaudiere said: “Top of the agenda for EU Member States implementing eID Wallets is how best to adhere to regulations designed to protect their citizens’ identity, personal data, and digital assets. The GlobalPlatform SE is the leading solution for meeting the high level of assurance required in the EUDI Wallet as defined by the upcoming ENISA certification scheme. Built on common technical standards, the GlobalPlatform SE leverages the technology already used in billions of smartphones today. We continue to introduce new capabilities that will make it seamless for governments to deploy eID Wallet schemes and for smartphone vendors and software developers to support a new era of digital services.”

Pilots of eID Wallets under the scheme are currently underway in several EU Member States with further trials expected to commence this year. To support these efforts, GlobalPlatform has introduced additional ways to seamlessly bring the SE to the EUDI Wallet, including:

• Defining the Secure Application for Mobile (SAM) configuration for SEs. GlobalPlatform has developed the SAM model in collaboration with the GSMA. The SAM provides a secure platform for ID applets to be deployed with certificate-based content management.
• Driving the development of a Cryptographic Service Provider (CSP) specification. The CSP provides a secure and easy way to certify third-party digital ID applets with a high level of assurance by delegating sensitive cryptographic operations to a certified library embedded in the SE. In this model, applets are certified once and can be deployed on any certified CSP platform.

Convening Europe’s Digital ID Ecosystem
GlobalPlatform’s 2024 eID Wallet Seminar will bring together EU regulators, government representatives, and other stakeholders to share expertise, best practice, and planned deployment. These sessions will build on the work being done by GlobalPlatform’s eID Wallet Task Force in collaboration with GSMA, ENISA, CEN-CENELEC, and SOGIS/EU-CC. The GlobalPlatform eID Wallet Seminar, sponsored by Thales, will take place in Brussels on October 10.

Prior to the eID Wallet Seminar, GlobalPlatform will also hold a two-day training session for stakeholders involved in the design and deployment of eID Wallets. The first day will enable attendees to develop a foundational understanding of SE, while the second day will provide an exploration of identity-related technologies for SE, including SAM and CSP.

For more information and to register for the eID Wallet Seminar and training sessions, please visit https://globalplatform.org/events/.