🇦🇹EUDI Wallet Austria: What We Know So Far

What We Know About Austria's EUDI Wallet

Austria, with a population of 9 million, is preparing to implement the European Digital Identity Wallet as required by the eIDAS 2.0 regulation. While specific details about Austria's EUDI Wallet implementation have not been officially announced, several facts are clear based on EU law and Austria's existing digital infrastructure.

Legal Requirement (🟢 Verified)

Under the eIDAS 2.0 regulation (EU) 2024/1183, which entered into force in May 2024, all 27 EU member states must provide a European Digital Identity Wallet to their citizens by December 31, 2026. This is a binding legal requirement, not optional. Austria must comply with this deadline.

Existing Authentication System (🟢 Verified)

Austria currently operates ID Austria, a national digital authentication system that enables citizens to access government services electronically. ID Austria provides secure login for tax filing, social security, business registration, and other public services. The EUDI Wallet will likely build upon or integrate with this existing ID Austria infrastructure, using years of established digital identity experience.

Regulatory Deadline (🟡 Confirmed by Regulation)

The December 31, 2026 deadline is set by EU law. Austria must provide a wallet that meets the technical specifications defined in the Architecture and Reference Framework (ARF) version 2.7.3, which standardizes functionality across all EU member states.

What Is Not Yet Known

We believe in being honest about what information is not yet available. The following details have not been officially announced by Austrian authorities:

Official Wallet Name (⚠️ Not Yet Announced)

Austria has not announced the official name for its EUDI Wallet. While "eAusweise" is a logical name, this is speculation, not official confirmation. The wallet may integrate directly into the existing ID Austria system or be branded separately.

Exact Launch Date (⚠️ Not Yet Announced)

Beyond the December 2026 regulatory deadline, Austria has not provided a specific launch date, pilot schedule, or rollout timeline. Some countries announce phased launches (pilot first, then gradual rollout), while others plan immediate availability—Austria's approach remains unclear.

Setup Process (⚠️ Not Yet Announced)

The activation process—how Austrian citizens will set up their digital wallet—has not been disclosed. It will likely require existing government-issued credentials (ID card, passport, or ID Austria account), but the specific steps are unknown.

Expected Functionality Based on EU Standards

Even without Austria-specific announcements, we know what functionality Austria's EUDI Wallet must provide, because all EU member states must comply with the same technical specifications (ARF 2.7.3):

Core Features (🟢 Verified from ARF Specifications)

• Identity Verification: Store and present digital identity for government services, banking, and age verification
• Banking KYC: From January 1, 2027, all banks and financial institutions must accept EUDI Wallet for customer identification (mandatory)
• Government Services: Access tax filing, healthcare, social security, business permits, and other public services
• Age Verification: Prove age for restricted purchases without revealing full birth date
• Cross-Border Recognition: Austrian digital credentials recognized in all 27 EU member states
• Qualified Signatures: Sign legally binding documents digitally with the same legal force as handwritten signatures

What Should Austrian Citizens Do Now?

While waiting for official announcements, Austrian citizens can take the following steps:

1. Ensure you have a valid Austrian ID card or passport — these will likely be required to activate the digital wallet
2. Familiarize yourself with ID Austria — Austria's existing digital authentication system may be integrated with the EUDI Wallet
3. Monitor official sources — Check oesterreich.gv.at for government announcements
4. Don't worry about missing the deadline — The wallet is optional; you can continue using physical documents

Austria's Digital Identity History: From Bürgerkarte to ID Austria

Austria has one of the longest histories of electronic identity in Europe. The Bürgerkarte (Citizen Card) concept was introduced as early as 2003, making Austria a pioneer in government-issued digital identity. The Bürgerkarte was followed by Handysignatur (Mobile Signature), launched in 2010, which allowed Austrians to sign documents and authenticate using their mobile phones without needing a physical smart card.

In 2022, Austria replaced both legacy systems with ID Austria, a modern, app-based authentication platform. The migration was significant: over 4 million Handysignatur users needed to transition to the new system. ID Austria uses a combination of biometric verification (face recognition during registration), NFC reading of the Austrian ID card chip, and app-based authentication. This migration experience gives Austria institutional knowledge about transitioning millions of users to a new identity system — directly relevant to the upcoming EUDI Wallet rollout.

Austria's Role in the POTENTIAL Pilot Consortium

Austria is an active participant in the POTENTIAL (Pilots for European Digital Identity Wallet) Large Scale Pilot, one of four EU-funded consortia testing EUDI Wallet technology in real-world conditions. The POTENTIAL consortium, led by France and Germany, includes 148 participants from 19 EU member states and Ukraine.

Within POTENTIAL, Austria contributes to testing use cases that include cross-border travel document verification, SIM card registration with digital identity, opening bank accounts remotely, and accessing government services across EU borders. Austrian government agencies and private sector partners participate in these pilots, which run through 2025 into early 2026, providing technical insights that will directly inform Austria's final EUDI Wallet product. The fact that Austria is involved in these technical pilots — rather than waiting passively — suggests active behind-the-scenes preparation even without public announcements.

Data Protection and the DSB's Oversight Role

Austria's independent data protection authority, the Datenschutzbehörde (DSB), plays a critical role in ensuring the EUDI Wallet respects citizens' privacy rights. The DSB, headquartered in Vienna, enforces both the GDPR and Austria's national Data Protection Act (Datenschutzgesetz, DSG). Under eIDAS 2.0, wallet providers must implement privacy-by-design principles, and national data protection authorities like the DSB have enforcement powers.

Key privacy safeguards the DSB will oversee include: data minimization (the wallet must only share the minimum data necessary for each transaction), unlinkability (preventing different service providers from tracking a citizen across services), and the right to selective disclosure (for example, proving you are over 18 without revealing your exact birth date). Austrian citizens who believe their EUDI Wallet data is being mishandled can file formal complaints with the DSB, which has the power to impose fines under GDPR.

Digitales Amt: Austria's E-Government Foundation

Austria's Digitales Amt (Digital Office) platform, launched in 2020, represents one of Europe's more ambitious e-government initiatives. Available as both a web portal and mobile app, Digitales Amt provides access to over 300 government procedures digitally — from birth certificate requests to business registrations, from parking permits to address changes.

The platform is managed by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs (Bundesministerium für Digitalisierung und Wirtschaftsstandort) and uses ID Austria as its authentication backbone. Because the EUDI Wallet will also rely on secure authentication, the existing Digitales Amt infrastructure provides a natural integration point. Austrian citizens who already use Digitales Amt for government services will likely find the transition to the EUDI Wallet smooth, as the underlying authentication flow will be familiar. The Digital Austria Act (E-Government-Gesetz) provides the legal framework governing how digital services interact with citizen identity.

Cross-Border Relevance: Austria's Central European Position

Austria's geographic and economic position in central Europe makes cross-border digital identity particularly relevant. Austria shares borders with eight countries, four of which are EU member states implementing their own EUDI Wallets (Germany, Italy, Czech Republic, Slovakia). Roughly 160,000 Austrians commute across borders for work, and Vienna's economy is deeply intertwined with neighboring countries.

The EUDI Wallet's cross-border recognition will allow Austrian citizens to open bank accounts in Germany, access healthcare in Italy, or register businesses in Slovakia using the same digital credential. For the estimated 600,000 German citizens living in Austria and the large Austrian diaspora in Germany, the wallet promises to eliminate the current friction of proving identity across the Austrian-German border — despite both countries speaking the same language, verifying identity between their separate digital systems has historically required paper documents.

Reassurance: All EU Countries Must Comply

If you're concerned about whether Austria will deliver an EUDI Wallet, remember this: the December 2026 deadline applies equally to all 27 EU member states. Austria is legally obligated to provide a wallet, just like every other country. Given Austria's long history with digital identity — stretching back to the Bürgerkarte in 2003, through Handysignatur, to the modern ID Austria system — and its active participation in the POTENTIAL pilot consortium, Austria is among the better-prepared member states. The lack of public announcements does not indicate Austria won't comply — it more likely reflects the Austrian government's preference for announcing finished products rather than work in progress.