Mandatory digital IDs may be coming to the UK, but non-mandatory ones have been in some European countries for decades.
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The United Kingdom last week announced a mandatory digital ID system, dubbed the 'Brit Card,' for all UK residents by 2029.
The government argues that the digital ID, which'll take the form of an app-based system, will simplify interactions with public services and enhance security by verifying individuals' identities more efficiently.
The system is expected to facilitate access to healthcare, education, and welfare services, reducing administrative burdens and potential fraud. Additionally, it aims to address illegal immigration by ensuring that only those with legal rights can work and access public services.
“I know working people are worried about the level of illegal migration into this country,” the Prime Minister said in a statement. “A secure border and controlled migration are reasonable demands, and this government is listening and delivering".
It has already faced opposition, with more than 2.5 million signing a petition against it, arguing it is "a step towards mass surveillance and digital control".
Digital ID initiatives elsewhere in Europe
Digital ID is not a new concept in Europe, where several countries have successfully implemented such systems, offering a glimpse of how the UK might modernise its public services.
Estonia’s e-ID, now nearly 20 years old, allows citizens to vote, sign documents digitally, access healthcare and education, and use banking and online shopping services.
It is estimated that the system saves citizens an average of five working days per year through more efficient processes. Today, 99 per cent of Estonians have a digital ID.
Elsewhere, Denmark’s MitID app, introduced in 2021 and today used by more than 90 per cent of the population, integrates banking, government services, taxes, healthcare, pensions, and education.
Spain’s electronic DNI, first introduced in 2006 and now supplemented by the MiDNI smartphone app, provides a similar model to Denmark's.
At the EU level, the eIDAS 2.0 regulation requires all member states to provide citizens with a digital identity wallet by 2026.
Pilot projects are already underway across 26 EU countries, as well as Norway, Iceland, and Ukraine, involving hundreds of public authorities and private companies.
Yet despite these advances, most European systems remain voluntary or linked to existing legal ID cards, unlike the UK's mandatory proposal.
