EU Login Authentication System Connected to the eIDAS Network
European Commission 2017
The European Commission has implemented a dedicated identification mechanism to facilitate users' access to a wide range of Commission information systems, known as EU Login. This system is ready to connect to the eIDAS network, allowing users to identify and authenticate to the services thanks to their nationally-issued electronic identification (eID).
The mutual recognition of eID schemes across Europe is mandated by Regulation (EU) N°910/2014 (commonly known as the eIDAS regulation). It states that by 29 September 2018 all online public services requiring electronic identification assurance corresponding to a level of 'substantial' or 'high' must be able to accept the notified eID schemes of other EU countries.
Driven by the need to simplify identity and access management to its services, the European Commission has developed an innovative, user friendly and secure tool. EU Login is regrouping the different solutions developed over the past years into a unified comprehensive service and brand new interface. It serves now as an entry point for over 800 information systems with more than 3.5 million active users, composed of collaborators from the European institutions but also citizens wanting to access EU Services.
In parallel, EU Member States have been supporting the uptake of eID to access online services across Europe for the last decade. The STORK Large Scale Pilots initiated interoperable cross-border eID. The eIDAS regulation provides a more predictable regulatory environment and introduces the principle of mutual recognition of national eID schemes (including smartcards, mobile and log-in), allowing citizens of one European country to use their national eIDs to securely access online services provided in other European countries. The technical infrastructure which connects the national eID schemes is called the eIDAS network. It is composed of national eIDAS interoperability nodes.
Over the past months, the European Commission has been actively working on the migration of the identification and authentication functions of EU Login from STORK towards the new eIDAS regime.
In November 2017, Estonia and Austria established a connection to the EU Login system via their technically-compliant eIDAS nodes, allowing civil servants and EU citizens to access the Commission’s online services by reusing their nationally-issued eID via the eIDAS network. More countries will follow in the coming months.
Allowing EU citizens and civil servants to access the Commission’s online services by reusing their nationally-issued eID, not only eases the identification process but also provides a high level of security and authentication assurance.
Secure electronic identification and authentication is a prerequisite for the expansion of online public and private services across Europe. This is the only way to guarantee that EU citizens and businesses truly enjoy and benefit from the Digital Single Market. By developing EU Login, the European Commission has practically demonstrated the benefits of connecting to the eIDAS network in order to provide users of EU services with a simple and secure electronic identification and authentication solution based on nationally-issued eIDs.
The Commission supports EU Member States in developing interoperable electronic identification services via the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) eID building block.
CEF eID primarily supports the Member States in the roll-out of the eIDAS Network. Service Providers (public administrations and private sector organisations) may then connect their services to this network, making these services accessible across borders and allowing them to enjoy the legal recognition brought by eIDAS. This cross-border eID, in line with the eIDAS Regulation and enabled by the CEF eID building block, is termed eIDAS eID.