Two and a half years of EU-wide planning and testing have confirmed that European Digital Identity Wallets can operate securely across borders, provided they are supported by common standards, robust governance, and citizens’ trust
One of the four flagship initiatives of the Digital Europe Programme, the large-scale pilot project POTENTIAL, has successfully concluded, marking a decisive milestone toward the deployment of the European Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI Wallet).
Over this period, more than 140 organisations from 19 Member States and Ukraine validated the use of the wallet across six key domains: online government services, bank account opening, SIM card registration, electronic driving licences, qualified electronic signatures, and electronic prescriptions. In total, more than 1,300 tests and over 1,000 successful transactions, including 249 cross-border ones, were carried out, confirming technical feasibility and providing essential insights for policy development and governance. Luxembourg’s public sector was represented in this large-scale pilot by two beneficiaries: the Ministry for Digitalisation and the State Information Technology Centre (CTIE). They worked on four of the six key domains mentioned above. For further details on the national perspective on POTENTIAL, see the online POTENTIAL dossier.
“POTENTIAL has proven that Europe can achieve cross-border interoperability, but only if we rigorously apply common standards. Security is not just about technology; it also requires governance, certification, and accountability. Above all, citizens’ trust will depend on wallets that are simple, transparent, and designed with privacy in mind. Going forward, the lessons learned from POTENTIAL will guide the transition from pilots to production, ensuring that wallets are secure, interoperable, and reliable across Europe,” said Florent Tournois, POTENTIAL Project Coordinator.
The project delivered a functional cross-border testing infrastructure, developed reusable attestations, validated wallet use in sensitive sectors such as healthcare and banking, and generated essential lessons on governance, interoperability, and the security framework. These contributions will shape the European Commission’s work on the Architecture and Reference Framework (ARF), the reference implementation, and upcoming implementing acts under the eIDAS 2.0 Regulation.
Key Findings and Recommendations
The pilot generated a set of conclusions and recommendations for governments and policymakers. First, cross-border interoperability is achievable but fragile, making EU-wide conformity testing and alignment with common standards indispensable. Second, governance is as important as technology: Member States that established strong national coordination and involved the private sector early progressed the fastest. Third, security depends not only on technical measures but also on robust frameworks for governance, certification, and liability. Fourth, earning citizens’ trust will require wallets that are simple, transparent, and privacy-preserving. Finally, inclusivity is essential: smaller Member States and Ukraine benefited from shared expertise, but they will require continued EU support to deploy the system at the same pace.
Future Outlook
By December 2026, every Member State is expected to deploy a national EUDI Wallet. The lessons learned from the POTENTIAL project provide a clear roadmap for success: accelerating alignment with the ARF and eIDAS, establishing strong governance structures, mandating conformity testing, and prioritising citizen-centred design and communication. With the foundations laid by POTENTIAL, Europe is now better positioned to deliver secure, interoperable, and trustworthy digital identity wallets across the European Union.