According to the EU’s proposed legislation, European wallet applications would have three key features from the perspective of users. Users would be able to use the application to:
1.    prove their identity electronically,
2.    provide proof of personal data and certificates,
3.    sign documents electronically. 

With the introduction of common EU legislation, these features could be used in every EU Member State. The legislation on wallet applications would promote the ability of individuals to manage their information and to control how they use their information across the EU.

The legislative proposal assumes that the wallet application would be used by private individuals, organisations and companies. The proposal would also allow a user to use services on behalf of another person or on behalf of a business. Work is currently focusing on the perspective of private individuals as users. More detailed specifications for wallet applications for businesses will be created as preparation continues. Use of a digital wallet would be voluntary.

In the EU’s proposed legislation concerning European wallet applications, every EU Member State would be obligated to ensure that there is at least one wallet application available.  Wallet applications could be provided by the private or public sector. If no applications offered by other parties are available, Member States would ultimately be responsible for providing one. There would be no limit on the number of wallet applications, and there could be more than one available in each Member State. 

The proposed legislation would also add new trust services to the eIDAS regulation. The purpose of trust services is to create trust in electronic documents and processes, but in practice, they are often integrated into services out of the sight of users. Electronic trust services include the eSignature certificate, eTimestamp and Qualified Web Authentication Certificate.  

In future, the Regulation would define common requirements for trust services enabling the provision of personal data and certificates in an electronic format (electronic attribute certificates). Organisations and other parties could provide the personal data and certificates that they issue (such as degrees or licences) as electronic trust services for the user’s wallet application. The Regulation would define requirements for the service being offered, i.e. for electronic attribute certificates, and for service providers. By providing their services in the manner required by the Regulation, service providers would be able to prove that their activities and services can be trusted. In order to increase the level of trust, trust service providers would be able to apply for authority approval of their services.

The aim is for wallet applications to be widely usable with services provided by both the public and private sectors. The aim is also for it to be possible to use wallet applications to prove information in person as well as electronically.

According to the EU’s legislative proposal, public sector services would have to accept the wallet application as one form of electronic identification of a person. This obligation would also apply to electronic services in certain private-sector fields of activity.

The proposed legislation also includes provisions on service providers that wish to enable the use of wallet applications with their services. These service providers would have to announce their intent to allow the use of the wallet application in their services and provide information on the purpose for which the application will be usable in their services.