The EU is set to launch a digital wallet within the next year, that will enable citizens of the 27 countries to access local government services and pay utility bills.

The app will use biometric authentication to control access, such as fingerprint or retina scanning, according to sources reported by The Financial Times.

EU citizens will be able to store and share official ID such as passports and driving licenses on the wallet, potentially making activities such as car hire, where consumer identity needs to be verified, easier.

The EU said they will enforce “structural separation” which will prohibit companies using citizens' data in the app for commercial activity, such as marketing or advertising.

Brussels is currently discussing guidelines on technical standards with its member states.
According to the sources, the plans are set to be unveiled in full on Wednesday.

The news comes after a multi-month review by the European Commission of the current eIDAS regulatory framework, which aimed to collect feedback on drivers and barriers to the development and uptake of trust services and eID in Europe.

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