DIACC sees digital ID mutual recognition opportunity in Canada-EU trade deal talks

The government of Canada has closed its consultation on a prospective digital trade agreement with the European Union, an idea which has received a full-throated endorsement, along with some recommendations, from the Digital ID & Authentication Council of Canada (DIACC).

A Canada-EU digital trade agreement would compliment the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).

Global Affairs Canada invited public feedback during a consultation period which ran from June 25 to August 25. Feedback from a broad range of stakeholders was sought, including micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, industry associations, academia, labor unions and minority groups.

Topics for input included digital authentication methods, electronic signatures, digital identities and trust services, local storage requirements and cross-border data movement, digital inclusion, interoperability, protecting IP and protecting personal information and privacy online.

DIACC recommends the government focus on ensuring interoperability between the Pan‑Canadian Trust Framework (PCTF) and eIDAS 2.0 so that digital trade can be supported in regulated sectors without departing from domestic standards, like Canada’s new national standard for digital identity, and policies.

Other recommendations highlight the importance of enabling growth in key sectors, digital sovereignty, and preserving security and privacy in cross-border interactions.

An agreement between Canada and the EU could lead to mutual recognition of digital identities and credentials, such as those rolling out by next year with EU Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallets.

DIACC sees potential gains in mutual recognition from streamlined real estate transactions with reduced friction for AML compliance, credentials for emissions tracking, reduced friction for cross-border loans, payments and claims, and improved emergency response and cross-border healthcare.

Article Topics

Canada  |  DIACC  |  digital identity  |  eIDAS  |  Europe  |  Pan-Canadian Trust Framework (PCTF)