Italy approves IT Wallet framework ahead of eIDAS rollout

National framework sets rules for testing digital credentials, governance and interoperability before full alignment with EUDI wallet framework.

Italy has approved the national guidelines and experimental framework for its new IT Wallet. An interministerial decree published in the Gazzetta Ufficiale on July 23 outlines the EU country’s digital identity strategy.

The measure issued by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers together with the finance and public administration ministries sets out how the digital wallet will be tested, governed and updated. Full alignment with European rules is the ultimate aim.

During the trial phase, technical specifications for the IT Wallet will be drafted and continuously updated by the Department for Digital Transformation. The specifications will be adopted by decree, published on the official portal and shared with AgID and the National Cybersecurity Agency.

Once the experimentation ends both the guidelines and technical specifications will be revised to reflect national and EU regulatory developments, including the updated eIDAS framework. AgID will also be responsible for defining the administrative procedures for entities seeking to register with the IT Wallet.

Applicants must submit a technical report demonstrating security, reliability, organizational readiness and compliance with European standards, along with adequate insurance guarantees. These procedures will evolve as the system matures.

“The most important strategic takeaway is that Italy is building an ecosystem rather than a wallet,” commented Ronny Khan, an EU digital identity strategist.

Khan said the decree establishes legal certainty, enabling deployment before all EU implementing acts are finalized whilst allowing experimentation with market standards, and converges progressively toward the final eIDAS 2.0 framework.

“This is probably the strongest example within the EU of a Member State building a national wallet while explicitly preparing for eventual European interoperability,” Khan believes.

Digital certificates and oversight

The decree prioritizes several key electronic certificates issued through the IT Wallet during the trial.

These include ISEE income indicators, school and university qualifications, residence and electoral data, the health insurance card, the mobile driving licence, the European Disability Card and digital proxy certificates.

The official holders of national databases will supply the data for each certificate. Digital versions of the health card, mobile licence and disability card will remain accessible through the existing electronic access point for 12 months.

AgID will verify that all registered entities meet the requirements set out in the IT Wallet regulation. It may request documentation, conduct technical inspections or perform audits. It can also warn, suspend or remove entities that fail to comply.

These oversight rules remain in force until the updated guidelines and regulations are formally adopted.

Article Topics

digital wallets  |  EU Digital Identity Wallet  |  identity governance  |  interoperability  |  IT Wallet  |  Italy