European digital ID apps tendered, roll out, updated and expanded

Mobile digital ID platforms are being asked to do more in Europe, and technology providers are responding to the uptick in demand.

In Estonia, a contractor is needed to execute work on a new version of the government digital ID mobile app, mRiik, a trial version of which was launched in early 2023. Austrian officials have announced it’s now possible to carry out digital vehicle registration on the Austria digital ID app “eAusweise.” An update in Denmark has made it easier for the country’s digital ID application to be easily copied on other devices and for a digital ID to be activated without the need for another ID credential such as a passport. In Spain, Veridas has launched a digital ID wallet, Veridas Nexus, to facilitate transactions with the administration both online and offline.

mRiik digital ID app redesign in the works

An official of the State Information System Agency of Estonia (RIA), Kadri Masing, has disclosed that a company is being sought to build the mRiik app so that it can incorporate other digital government services, ERR reports.

Details of the procurement plan had earlier been outlined by RIA.

Estonia wants the app to be linked up with other public service platforms such as the Land Board’s Geoportal map application, the election map application the network of virtual assistants on government websites.

It is however not clear yet how the national digital ID app will integrate with the EU’s digital ID wallet which is also said to be designed by Estonia.

The deputy Director General of RIA, Joonas Heiter, is quoted as saying that mRiik will be developed to meet Estonia’s digital government needs, and will make it possible for more services to be added to the digital government portal.

“To provide a consistent user experience, we are developing the state portal and mobile app around a common set of principles. We are also centrally building a state mailbox, credential management information system, consent service, data tracker, and event services platform that can be used in the mobile app in the future,” ERR quotes Heiter as saying.

Vehicle registration via Austria digital ID app now possible

Digital vehicle registration using the Austria digital ID platform “eAusweise” has rolled out thanks a solution by youniqx Identity, a subsidiary of Austrian State Printing House (OSD).

An announcement indicates that the novelty allows license and vehicle registration on the app using a smart phone, also making it possible for roadside checks to be completed digitally by law enforcement officers.

Commenting on the launch of the digital vehicle registration process, Helmut Lackner, CEO of OSD and youniqx Identity, says “this successful launch demonstrates the dedication of youniqx Identity to deliver innovative solutions to governments and their citizens.”

“The recent success builds on our past accomplishments. It’s a showcase for our ability to meet the individual needs of our customers,” Lackner says, underscoring their push to offer modern digital ID solutions to their customers in both Austria and the Liechtenstein.

Austria switched to a new digital ID system last December.

Denmark updates app to ease digital ID activation

Authorities have announced an update to the MitID app in Denmark which now makes it easier to activate a digital ID on the platform, per a press release from the Danish Agency for Digitization.

Apart from making it easier to activate a digital ID without any need to scan one’s passport, the update also improves how the app itself is activated on another mobile device.

Unlike before, activating the app to a new device requires just scanning the QR code found in the existing app of the user, without the need for any activation codes.

The improved app is more user-friendly, has a vibrate notification feature which can be useful for visually-impaired users, as well as a language selection function which allows a user to choose from three languages.

The MitID became fully functional last October, although it had been in place since the end of 2021.

Veridas Nexus digital app rolls out in Spain

The Veridas Nexus digital wallet has been launched to enable organizations manage identities both physically and online, Veridas has said in a press release.

The firm says the wallet, which is universally accessible, will address the need to unify identification systems across physical and digital settings to streamline and enhance user experience.

It is said to be the first operational digital wallet in Spain that will simplify the way citizens interact with the administration.

The wallet, which grants users full control over their data, complies with the European Union GDPR framework, and the Artificial Intelligence Regulation.

Veridas says its Nexus wallet will, among other things, improve user-entity relations, open up new business opportunities, ensure personal data sovereignty, and universal accessibility.

“This wallet marks the beginning of an era where a single verified identity opens endless possibilities, giving users total control over their data and enabling organizations to create new, trust-based businesses. Veridas Nexus is our vision for a future where security, efficiency, and sovereignty over one’s identity transforms our interactions, setting new, accessible standards for everyone,” says Veridas CEO Eduardo Azanza.

Article Topics

Austria  |  Austrian State Printing House (OSD)  |  biometrics  |  Denmark  |  digital ID  |  digital wallets  |  Estonia  |  MitID  |  mRiik  |  Spain  |  tender  |  Veridas  |  YOUNIQX Identity AG