The European Commission is accelerating the deployment of the EU Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallet and a harmonized mobile driver’s license (mDL) by opening new funding calls and updating its 2025–2027 Digital Europe Work Programme to concentrate resources on near-term rollouts. A Commission notice on October 9, 2025, announced nine calls worth a combined €204 million, including a €15 million call specifically to support the development of the wallet and mDL.
The new funding window, running from October 9 to December 9, 2025, is aimed at moving implementations from the pilot phase to certified, production-ready systems. This push arrives alongside the Commission’s first amendment to the Digital Europe Work Programme 2025–2027, which rebalances budgets to prioritize getting critical technologies into the hands of citizens and businesses, with the EUDI Wallet named as a key priority.
The wallet program has been progressing through Large-Scale Pilots (LSPs) since 2023, with public-private consortia testing everyday use cases. These pilots are already producing valuable insights. Earlier this year, for example, Finland’s digital services agency demonstrated a travel check-in scenario with Amadeus that showcased the wallet’s powerful selective disclosure capabilities.
Alongside the wallet, member states and industry have been preparing for adjacent credentials, including mobile driver’s licenses that can be presented online or in person. However, the path to standardization has faced scrutiny, with privacy groups challenging mDL standards over potential surveillance risks. As these debates continue, the technical ecosystem for verifying these new credentials keeps growing, with firms like Fime expanding testing and certification work for both EUDI and mDLs. The new EU funding is explicitly directed at issuers and verifiers to speed this harmonization.
For implementers, the key takeaway is the Commission’s urgent timeline. The €204 million package sets a near-term application schedule, with the stated aim of pushing projects out of pilot mode and into certified national deployments.
This strategic injection of funding builds on significant national-level momentum. Late last year, Italy announced it would be the first member state to begin beta testing its wallet in 2025, signaling a clear shift from research to implementation. This was further reinforced by the selection of specialized partnerships, such as the WE BUILD consortium, which is focused on critical business and payment scenarios. This week’s funding calls are designed to capitalize on these milestones and propel the EUDI Wallet from promising pilots to a practical reality for EU citizens.
Sources: European Commission: €204m Call Announcement; Digital Europe Work Programme 2025–2027 (Amended); European Digital Identity Background; EU Digital Identity Wallet Channel
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
