On the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the establishment of European Business Wallets
A-10-2026-0240
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy · Rapporteur: Eero Heinäluoma
Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.
Parliament's amended version of the Commission proposal for a regulation establishing European Business Wallets. It sets up a voluntary digital tool for economic operators and public sector bodies to identify, authenticate, sign, seal, submit documents and exchange attestations.¶¶¶ It gives actions carried out through the wallets the same legal effect as actions done in person or on paper, and requires public sector bodies to accept them within 24 months of the implementing acts.¶¶ It requires providers to be established in the Union, to offer core functionalities including a qualified electronic registered delivery service, and to store and process wallet data on Union infrastructure.¶¶¶ It creates European Business Wallet owner identification data, unique identifiers, a European Digital Directory, a notification and supervision system, and rules for third-country operators and equivalent third-country systems.¶¶¶ It amends Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 so that mandatory issuance of European Digital Identity Wallets relates only to natural persons.¶¶¶
Committee position. The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy adopts Parliament's position at first reading, amending the Commission proposal to establish European Business Wallets with rules on equivalence, core functionalities, Union-based providers, identification data, unique identifiers, a Digital Directory, supervision and third-country recognition.¶¶¶
Key points
- The regulation enables secure digital identification, authentication, data sharing and legally valid notifications, and supports cross-border business and competitiveness.¶
- Actions carried out through the core functionalities of a European Business Wallet have the same legal effect as actions lawfully carried out in person, on paper or by other compliant means.¶¶
- Providers must offer core functionalities including issuing and sharing attestations, qualified electronic signatures and seals, time stamps, a qualified electronic registered delivery service, mandate management, data export and transaction logs.¶¶¶
- Providers may offer additional functionalities, such as automatic translation and payment transactions, if they do not compromise security or interoperability.¶¶¶
- Providers must be established in the Union, not be controlled by a third country, use Union-based QERDS and cloud providers, and store and process wallet data exclusively in the Union.¶¶¶
- European Business Wallet owner identification data is issued by qualified trust service providers, public sector bodies or the Commission, and contains at least the official name, contact details and unique identifier.¶¶¶
- The European Unique Identifier is used as the unique identifier where available; otherwise a free unique identifier is created on request without undue delay.¶¶
- The Commission establishes and maintains a European Digital Directory as the trusted source of information on wallet owners, accessible to owners, providers and relevant authorities.¶¶
- Entities intending to provide wallets must notify their supervisory body, which has 30 calendar days to review; the Commission maintains a public list of notified providers.¶¶¶
- Member States designate supervisory bodies with powers to monitor compliance, handle complaints, impose penalties of up to 2% of total worldwide annual turnover, and cooperate with other authorities.¶¶¶
- Public sector bodies must enable economic operators to identify, authenticate, sign, seal, submit documents and send or receive notifications through wallets within 24 months of the implementing acts, with a transition period of up to 36 months for the secure communication channel.¶¶
- The Commission may recognise equivalent third-country business wallets and frameworks for B2B cooperation, and may allow wallets to be issued to third-country economic operators subject to identity verification and due diligence.¶¶¶
Who is affected
- Economic operators, including companies, self-employed persons and sole traders, who may voluntarily use European Business Wallets.¶¶
- Public sector bodies, which must accept wallets for identification, authentication, signing, sealing, submissions and notifications.¶
- Providers of European Business Wallets, subject to establishment, security, notification and supervision requirements.¶¶¶
- Small and medium-sized enterprises and smaller public sector bodies, for which support, funding and attention to limited capacity are required.¶¶¶
- Third-country economic operators, who may obtain wallets if their identity is verified and they hold only one set of identification data.¶¶
Figures and deadlines
- 30 calendar days for the supervisory body to review a notification.¶
- 15 calendar days maximum for a notifying entity to respond to a request for additional information.¶
- 24 months after entry into force of the implementing acts for public sector bodies to enable wallet use.¶
- 36 months after entry into force of the implementing acts for the transition period on the secure communication channel.¶
- Maximum administrative fines of 2% of total worldwide annual turnover in the preceding financial year.¶
- 12 months from entry into force of the Regulation for the Commission to adopt implementing acts on core functionalities, technical requirements, identification data, unique identifiers and the Digital Directory.¶¶¶
- Three years after entry into force for the Commission's review report, and every four years thereafter.¶¶
- One working day for providers to communicate modifications or revocations of Digital Directory information to the Commission.¶
Legal basis: Article 114 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.¶¶