Poland is preparing to launch a digital identity wallet application, offering citizens a secure way to identify themselves online and access various services. The move comes as the European Union pushes for wider adoption of digital identity solutions across member states.
The planned application will allow both individuals and legal entities to securely verify their identities when using online services, according to a recent announcement. It will function alongside the existing mObywatel app, which already serves as a gateway to public services in Poland.
“The mObywatel application will continue to be developed as a gateway to public services in Poland. Nothing changes there,” said Deputy Minister Standerski on Monday, according to reports. “There is a clear division between mObywatel and the European digital identity wallet, which has two main functions – authenticating identity abroad and transmitting credentials, including age verification.”
The Ministry of Digital Affairs is in the early stages of preparing for the implementation of the European digital identity wallet. A project proposal is scheduled to be discussed at a meeting of the government’s Digital Affairs Committee this Friday, Standerski noted.
“From this meeting, we have a series of activities planned, including workshops, tests, research, and consultations,” Standerski said. “Please remember that we have 10 months of work ahead of us, and therefore we are planning it reasonably, so that everything is spread out over time and done accurately. Everything is therefore planned, we have a strategy for it, and its implementation begins with the Committee for Digital Affairs.”
The European Commission explains that the digital identity wallet is a mobile application that will allow EU residents to safely identify themselves when using public and private services, as well as store and display digital documents, such as mobile driver’s licenses. The EU’s eIDAS 2.0 regulation, which governs the initiative, went into effect in May 2024, requiring European countries to implement the wallets by December of this year. More information can be found on the European Commission’s website.
The mObywatel application, regulated by the 2023 Act on the mObywatel Application, currently has 11 million users. The development of a secure digital identity system underscores Poland’s commitment to modernizing its digital infrastructure and aligning with EU standards.
Last week, a draft amendment to the Act on Trusted Services and Electronic Identification was published on the Government Legislation Centre (RCL) website. The initiative aims to provide Poland with an application for a digital identity wallet.
