Balgarianovinite.com A draft law on the European Digital Identity Wallet was published on the Public Consultation Portal of the Council of Ministers of Bulgaria on February 17, marking the first formal step toward introducing a Bulgarian digital identity wallet. The bill seeks to establish the national legal framework for the implementation of Regulation (EU) 2024/1183 and the updated provisions of Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 (eIDAS).
According to the explanatory memorandum, although the European regulation has direct effect, Member States must regulate at national level the organizational and procedural aspects related to the building, supervision, certification and maintenance of trust lists. The European Digital Identity framework entered into force on May 20, 2024, and obliges EU Member States to provide digital identity wallets to citizens by 2026, enabling secure cross-border access to services across the EU.
Right to a wallet and voluntary use
The draft provides that every natural and legal person will have the right to a European Digital Identity Wallet. Issuance, use and revocation of the wallet will be free of charge for individuals. The principle of voluntary use is explicitly guaranteed, no one may be required to use the wallet as the sole means of access to an electronic service.
The wallet will allow individuals to sign documents free of charge with a qualified electronic signature when acting for non-professional purposes. For this purpose, a one-year qualified certificate will be issued, with the State paying fixed compensation to integrated qualified trust service providers.
Building and integration of the Bulgarian wallet
Under the bill, the Minister of e-Government will be responsible for building and maintaining the Bulgarian European Digital Identity Wallet. For its operation, free access is envisaged to information funds containing data on Bulgarian identity documents, population register data, and other authentic data sources.
The explanatory notes state that integration interfaces will be developed and the state hybrid private cloud and the inter-register exchange environment will be used to provide electronic attribute attestations.
An architectural framework of the ecosystem has also been prepared. It includes a register of participants, a register of trust lists, personal identification data providers, providers of electronic attribute attestations, relying parties and intermediaries, as well as mechanisms for both online and offline use of the wallet.
Trust Lists and Mandatory Acceptance
The draft regulates the creation and maintenance of electronic, machine-readable trust lists of wallet providers, identity data providers, public sector bodies issuing electronic attribute attestations, and relying parties.
All providers of electronic administrative services will be required to ensure functionality for online and offline acceptance of wallets. The Supreme Judicial Council will have to provide integration with the unified e-justice portal.
Administrative penalty provisions are also introduced for failure to accept the wallet where acceptance is mandatory, as well as for providing wallets without registration.
Certification, supervision and EU cooperation
The bill introduces a national certification scheme for European Digital Identity Wallets to be approved by the Council of Ministers. Conformity assessments will be carried out by accredited bodies, while the Minister of e-Government will exercise supervision over wallet providers.
The Minister will also act as a single point of contact with the European Commission, including for notification of certified wallets, supervisory authorities and security breaches.
Expected Results
Expected results from the implementation of the law include the deployment of a Bulgarian European Digital Identity Wallet, increased access to electronic services, reduced administrative burden, and improved security and trust in electronic interactions across the EU.
The draft has been published for public consultation under the Act on Statutory Instruments, and a report on received opinions and proposals will be prepared after the consultation period ends. Authorities expect that each EU Member State will soon provide such a wallet to its citizens, residents and businesses, ensuring a secure and privacy-preserving method of digital identification throughout the Union. Bulgaria Moves to Introduce European Digital Identity Wallet, Bill Set for Public Consultation 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-02-21 11:00:00 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law