Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION on the issuance of and technical standards for digital travel credentials based on identity cards
Date: 2024-10-08
Institutions: Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers, European Commission
Subjects: EU national, data protection, digital content, freedom of movement, identity document, personal data, technical specification, technical standard

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Strasbourg, 8.10.2024  COM(2024) 671 final 2024/0248 (CNS)  Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION on the issuance of and technical standards for digital travel credentials based on identity cards (Text with EEA relevance) {SWD(2024) 671 final} - {SWD(2024) 672 final}  
 
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

1. 

CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL 

Reasons for and objectives of the proposal 

• 
Directive  2004/38/EC  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council1  provides  that  Union 
citizens  can  exercise  their  right  to  free  movement  and  residence  using  identity  cards  and 
passports.  These  travel  documents  are  high-security  physical  documents  based  on  the 
specifications of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and are equipped with 
a contactless storage medium (chip) containing the holder’s biographic data, facial image and 
two fingerprints.  

Since 2016, ICAO has been working to digitalise travel documents to facilitate air travel. The 
result  of  this  work  by  ICAO  is  the  development  of  a  digital  travel  credential  standard  that 
makes  use  of  the  personal  data  (excluding  fingerprints)  stored  on  the  chip  of  a  travel 
document. A digital travel credential can be stored securely, for example on a mobile phone, 
either for single use or for multiple uses. Holders can share their digital travel credential with 
relevant  stakeholders  ahead  of  travel,  such  as  border  authorities  and  carriers,  using  an 
interface  such  as  a  mobile  phone  application.  The  first  version  of  the  ICAO  digital  travel 
credential technical standard2 has already been finalised and tested in pilot projects3. 

That technological  progress  in  the field  of travel documents could  be harnessed to  facilitate 
the  exercise  of  the  right  to  free  movement,  by  using  the  data  in  the  contactless  chip  of 
physical documents to create digital travel credentials4. In the context of this proposal, ‘digital 
travel  credential’  means  a  digital  representation  of  the  person’s  identity  derived  from  the 
information stored in the chip of the identity card that can be securely and reliably validated 
using  the  public  key  infrastructure  of  the  Member  State  authority  issuing  the  identity  card. 
Such a digital travel credential should contain the same personal data, including the holder’s 
facial image, as the identity card based on which they are created, with the exception of the 
holder’s fingerprints.  

Digital travel credentials based on identity cards have the potential to make it easier for Union 
citizens  to  exercise  their  right  to  free  movement.  Because  Union  citizens  may  use  their 
identity cards to cross the external borders of the Schengen area, such digital travel credentials 
would allow them to pass through border controls more quickly and more smoothly. 

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Directive 2004/38/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the right of 
citizens  of  the  Union  and  their  family  members  to  move  and  reside  freely  within  the  territory  of  the 
Member  States  amending  Regulation  (EEC)  No  1612/68  and  repealing  Directives  64/221/EEC, 
68/360/EEC,  72/194/EEC,  73/148/EEC,  75/34/EEC,  75/35/EEC,  90/364/EEC,  90/365/EEC  and 
93/96/EEC (OJ L 158, 30.4.2004, p. 77, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2004/38/oj). 
See  ICAO,  Guiding  Core  Principles  for  the  Development  of  Digital  Travel  Credential  (DTC)  and 
Digital Travel Credentials (DTC), Virtual Component Data Structure and PKI Mechanisms, Technical 
report version 1.2, October 2020. 
See,  for  example,  Raja  Rajavartiolaitos,  “Finland  and  Croatia  are  testing  digital  travel  credentials  in 
external border traffic in a DTC Pilot project”, 03.02.2023, available online at: https://raja.fi/-/suomi-ja-
kroatia-kokeilevat-digitaalisen-matkustusasiakirjan-kayttoa-ulkorajaliikenteessa-dtc-
pilottiprojektissa?languageId=en_US;  Government  of  Netherlands,  “Dutch  participation  in  European 
DTC 
at 
https://www.government.nl/documents/publications/2023/02/23/dtc. 
For  more  details  regarding  the  crossing  of  the  external  borders  of  the  area  without  internal  border 
controls, see COM(2024) 670 final. 

27.10.2023, 

available 

pilot”, 

online 

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For  this  purpose,  this  initiative  goes  side-by-side  with  a  proposal  for  a  regulation  of  the 
European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  establishing  an  application  for  the  electronic 
submission of travel data (“EU Digital Travel application”) and amending Regulations (EU) 
2016/399  and  (EU)  2018/1726  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  and  Council 
Regulation (EC) No 2252/2004, as regards the use of digital travel credentials5. Among other 
things,  that  proposal  introduces  a  digital  travel  credential  based  on  passports  and  sets  out 
specifications  for  the  ‘EU  Digital  Travel  application’,  a  mobile  phone  application  for  the 
issuance  and  submission  of  digital  travel  credentials  for  advance  check  ahead  of  travel. 
Adopting  both  proposals  at  the  same  time  ensures  consistency  in  the  developments  for 
identity cards and passports, taking into account  that both  types of travel  documents can be 
used  to  exercise  the  right  to  free  movement.  As  a  result,  Union  citizens  holding  an  identity 
card should be  able to  use the ‘EU  Digital  Travel application’ to  create  and submit identity 
card-based digital travel credentials just like when using passports. 

Once available, digital travel credentials could also be used to facilitate other aspects of free 
movement, such as registering with national authorities when taking up residence in another 
Member  State,  which  has  the  potential  to  reduce  administrative  burden.  At  a  later  stage,  it 
may also become possible to exercise free movement based on a digital travel credential only, 
that is, without the need for a physical identity card or passport.  Lastly, an authentic digital 
travel  credential  could  facilitate  access  to  electronic  identification  schemes,  and  to  services 
that  require  reliable  identification.  This  has  the  potential  to  simplify  the  daily  life  of  Union 
citizens,  including  those  that  reside  in  a  Member  State  other  than  that  of  which  they  are  a 
national. 

Industry and national governments have already begun exploring ways of using digital travel 
information to make travel a more seamless  and customer-centric process. The Commission 
considers that a uniform standard for digital travel credentials should be laid down at Union 
level, as announced in the 2023 Commission work programme6, because this would: (i) avoid 
fragmentation;  (ii)  ensure  compliance  with  Union  values;  and  (iii)  guarantee  that  all  Union 
citizens can benefit from digital travel credentials. This would also enable the Union to shape 
progress  on  global  standards,  and  promote  both  its  economic  interests  and  its  technological 
strategic autonomy.  

In view of the above, this initiative aims to set up a digital travel credential based on identity 
cards issued by Member States that Union citizens can use when exercising their right to free 
movement. 

To achieve global interoperability, the Union’s technical specifications for identity card-based 
digital  travel  credentials  should  be  based  on  ICAO’s  digital  travel  credential  standard.  To 
ensure that all Union citizens who hold an identity card can obtain a digital travel credential, 
all  Member  States  issuing  identity  cards  should  offer  digital  travel  credentials  to  their 
nationals.  At  the  same  time,  Union  citizens  should  not  be  obliged  to  hold  a  digital  travel 
credential if they wish to exercise free movement using their physical identity card or passport 
only. 

To promote the uptake of digital travel credentials, Union citizens should have the option to 
receive  an  identity  card-based  digital  travel  credential  when  they  receive  a  new  physical 
identity  card.  In  addition,  they  should  be  able  to  obtain  a  digital  travel  credential  using  an 
already  existing  and  valid  identity  card,  including  by  creating  it  via  mobile  phone 

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COM(2024) 670 final. 
COM(2022) 548 final. 

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applications. Lastly, Union citizens should be able to store the digital travel credential in their 
European Digital Identity Wallet7. 

• 

Consistency with existing policy provisions in the policy area 

This  initiative  necessitates  that  the  identity  cards  issued  by  Member  States  comply  with  a 
standard that ensures that these identity cards can serve as the basis for the creation of digital 
travel credentials. For this reason, this initiative builds on – and is aligned with – the relevant 
rules at  Union level  on identity  cards, currently found in  Regulation (EU) 2019/1157  of the 
European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council8.  Following  the  Court  of  Justice’s  invalidation  of 
Regulation  (EU)  2019/1157  in  Landeshauptstadt  Wiesbaden9,  the  Commission  adopted,  on 
23 July 2024,  a  proposal10  setting  in  motion  the  procedure  for  a  new  regulation  on  identity 
card standards.  

This initiative does not amend the substantive conditions laid down in Directive 2004/38/EC 
on the right  of Union citizens  to  move  and reside freely  within the territory of the Member 
States.  At  the  same  time,  by  providing  Union  citizens  with  an  identity  card-based  digital 
travel credential, this initiative seeks to make it easier for Union citizens to exercise that right 
in full consistency with Directive 2004/38/EC. 

• 

Consistency with other Union policies 

This initiative and the implementation of digital travel credentials in the Union more generally 
is  closely  linked  to  ongoing  developments  on  creating  a  European  digital  identity  and  the 
European  Digital  Identity  Wallet.  It  should  be  possible  to  store  digital  travel  credentials 
alongside digital driving licences, medical prescriptions and other documents in the European 
Digital Identity Wallet. 

This  initiative  is  also  connected  with  the  Commission’s  ‘Digital  Europe’  strategy  of  2020, 
which aims to support the uptake of technology that will make a real difference to people’s 
daily  lives.  The  initiative  also  supports  the  ‘Digital  Compass’  for  the  Union’s  ‘Digital 
Decade’ programme, part of which promotes the digitalisation of public services. The specific 
objective  of  the  ‘Digital  Compass’  is  for  all  Union  citizens  to  have  access  to  digital 
identification  by  the  end  of  203011.  In  the  European  Declaration  on  Digital  Rights  and 
Principles  for  the  Digital  Decade12,  the  Commission  and  the  co-legislators  committed  to 
ensuring  that  people  living  in  the  Union  are  offered  the  possibility  to  use  an  accessible, 
voluntary, secure and trusted digital identity. More generally, the proposal helps to expand the 
use of digital technologies. 

The  initiative  also  responds  to  the  general  global  trend  in  digitalisation  and  to  travellers’ 
expectations for ever faster and more seamless travel formalities.  

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Laid down in Regulation (EU) 2024/1183 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 
2024  amending  Regulation  (EU)  No  910/2014  as  regards  establishing  the  European  Digital  Identity 
Framework (OJ L, 2024/1183, 30.4.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1183/oj). 
Regulation  (EU)  2019/1157  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  20  June  2019  on 
strengthening  the  security  of  identity  cards  of  Union  citizens  and  of  residence  documents  issued  to 
Union citizens and their family members exercising their right of free movement (OJ L 188, 12.7.2019, 
p. 67, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/1157/oj).  
Judgment of 21 March 2024, C-61/22, Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden, ECLI:EU:C:2024:251. 
COM(2024) 316 final. 
https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/europe-fit-digital-age/europes-
digital-decade-digital-targets-2030_en  
OJ C 23, 23.1.2023, p. 1. 

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2. 

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LEGAL BASIS, SUBSIDIARITY AND PROPORTIONALITY 

Legal basis 

Article 77(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) confers on the 
Union a competence to adopt provisions on passports, identity cards, residence permits or any 
other such document intended to facilitate the exercise of the right to move and reside freely 
within the territory of the Member States guaranteed in Article 20(2)(a) TFEU13.  

The  objective  of  this  proposal  is  to  facilitate  the  exercise  of  the  right  to  free  movement  of 
Union  citizens  in  a  secure  environment  by  providing  them  with  authentic  digital  travel 
credentials based on the identity cards issued to them by the Member States. This proposal is 
thus  inextricably  linked  to  the  rules  on  physical  identity  cards.  Therefore,  this  proposal  is 
based  on  the  same  legal  basis  as  the  Commission’s  proposal  for  a  Council  regulation  on 
strengthening  the  security  of  identity  cards  of  Union  citizens  and  of  residence  documents 
issued to Union citizens and their family members exercising their right of free movement14. 

Article  77(3)  TFEU  provides  for  a  special  legislative  procedure.  When  adopting  measures 
pursuant  to  Article  77(3)  TFEU,  the  Council  must  act  unanimously  after  consulting 
Parliament. 

• 

Subsidiarity (for non-exclusive competence)  

The  current  Union  legal  framework  does  not  allow  for  the  use  of  digital  solutions  in  the 
context of the exercise of the right to free movement. Due to the nature of the problem and the 
need  to  ensure  interoperability,  Member  States  themselves  cannot  effectively  introduce  a 
Union-wide uniform format for digital travel credentials based on identity cards, and therefore 
cannot facilitate the exercise of free movement on the basis of such digital travel credentials. 
Any national solutions would bear the risk of not being accepted in other Member States, and 
would raise questions regarding their compliance with Union law when used in the context of 
free movement. 

This  proposal  aims  to  facilitate  the  exercise  of  the  right  to  free  movement  by  giving  Union 
citizens the option to obtain and use digital travel credentials based on their national identity 
cards.  For  reasons  of  scale  and  expected  impacts,  the  objectives  can  only  be  achieved 
efficiently and effectively at Union level. 

At  the  same  time,  this  proposal  does  not  require  Member  States  to  introduce  identity  cards 
where they are not provided for under national law.  

• 

Proportionality 

The  proposal  does  not  go  beyond  what  is  necessary  to  achieve  its  objective,  as  it  does  not 
fundamentally  alter  the  rules  and  provisions  of  Directive  2004/38/EC  or  those  laid  down  in 
the Commission’s proposal for a Council regulation on strengthening the security of identity 
cards of Union citizens and of residence documents issued to Union citizens and their family 
members exercising their right of free movement15. 

In addition, the decision as to whether or not to obtain a digital travel credential would be left 
to  individual  Union  citizens.  Those  who  decide  not  to  do  so  would  still  be  able  to  exercise 
their right to free movement using their physical passport or identity card only. However, they 

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Judgment of 21 March 2024, C-61/22, Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden, ECLI:EU:C:2024:251, paragraph 
54. 
COM(2024) 316 final. 
COM(2024) 316 final. 

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might not benefit from some of the facilitations available to Union citizens  who also hold a 
digital travel credential.  

Additional  explanations  on  the  proportionality  of  the  different  policy  options  –  including 
those not retained – are given in the impact assessment accompanying this proposal16. 

• 

Choice of the instrument 

A  regulation  is  the  sole  legal  instrument  ensuring  the  direct,  immediate  and  common 
implementation of Union law in all Member States. 

3. 

RESULTS 
CONSULTATIONS AND IMPACT ASSESSMENTS 

EX-POST 

EVALUATIONS, 

OF 

STAKEHOLDER 

Stakeholder consultations 

• 
The preparation of this initiative and the accompanying proposal17 involved a wide range of 
consultations of stakeholders, including Member State authorities, Union agencies, industry, 
the  general  public,  and  international  organisations  involved  in  international  travel.  A  public 
consultation  was  organised  as  part  of  the  impact  assessment18.  A  special  Eurobarometer 
survey was also carried out to gain further insights  into Union citizens’ views on the use of 
digital  travel  credentials  for  cross-border  travel19. Most  stakeholders  that  were  consulted 
expressed wide support for the initiative, underlining the expected benefits and convenience 
for  both  national  authorities  and  travellers  that  would  result  from  enabling  travellers  to  use 
digital travel credentials. 

The Commission has taken account of the feedback received in these consultation activities in 
preparing  this  initiative.  For  example,  the  initiative  provides  for  the  use  of  digital  travel 
credentials to be voluntary (not mandatory for travellers) and it proposes a uniform technical 
standard for all Union digital travel credentials. 

• 

Collection and use of expertise 

To  help  prepare  the  impact  assessment,  the  Commission  contracted  an  external  study  on  a 
Union initiative on the digitalisation of travel documents and facilitation of travel to develop 
options  and  assess  their  potential  impacts.  The  study  involved  collecting  stakeholder  views 
and  expertise  in  the  form  of  strategic  interviews,  targeted  consultations,  in-depth  interviews 
and the public consultation. 

Three  Member  States  (Finland,  Croatia  and  the  Netherlands)  are  also  carrying  out  Union-
funded pilot projects to test digital travel credentials for cross-border travel. The experiences 
and results received so far from these pilot projects were taken into account and reflected in 
the impact assessment and this proposal. 

Impact assessment 

• 
In preparing this initiative and the accompanying proposal20, the Commission also conducted 
an impact assessment21. The impact assessment evaluated three policy options, each entailing 
legislative  measures  given  that  they  required  amending  or  complementing  existing  Union 

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SWD(2024) 671 final. 
COM(2024) 670 final. 
https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/13514-Travel-digitalising-
travel-documents-to-make-travelling-easier/public-consultation_en  
Special Eurobarometer 536 report on the digitalisation of travel documents and the facilitation of travel. 
COM(2024) 670 final. 
SWD(2024) 671 final. 

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legislation on travel documents and border checks. This ruled out a ‘soft law’ approach from 
the outset. 

Each policy option contained a few common building blocks, namely: (i) a transition period; 
(ii)  the  use  of  the  existing  international  ICAO  technical  standard;  (iii)  the  voluntary  use  of 
digital  travel  credentials  by  travellers  (as  confirmed  by  the  public  consultation);  and  (iv)  a 
central Union technical solution for creating and submitting digital travel credentials.  

The  main  difference  between  the  three  policy  options  is  the  level  of  flexibility  enjoyed  by 
Member States on: (i) the possibility for people to receive digital travel credentials (as some 
Member States have explicitly prohibited access to the chip data of travel documents); and (ii) 
the use of digital travel credentials in the context of cross-border travel. 

The summary below only covers the aspects that are relevant to this proposal. 

Policy  option  1  allowed  Member  States  to  make  digital  travel  credentials  available  to 
travellers.  

Policy  option  2  obliged  Member  States  to  make  digital  travel  credentials  available  to 
travellers. 

Policy  option  3  obliged  Member  States  to  make  digital  travel  credentials  available  to 
travellers and laid down a harmonised approach regarding their use across Member States.  

Based on the findings of the impact assessment, the preferred option was option 3 combined 
with a suitable transition period. Under option 3, all Member States would offer digital travel 
credentials based on the travel documents they already issue. Union citizens would be able to 
use their digital travel credentials: (i) in the Member States that choose to implement digital 
travel credentials during a transition period; and (ii) in all Member States concerned after the 
transition period and once the common Union-wide technical solution is ready. 

Overall, the preferred option has the most positive impact in terms of meeting the objectives 
to:  (i)  enable  the  smoother  and  easier  exercise  of  free  movement;  and  (ii)  uphold  strict 
security  standards.  This  impact  is  mainly  due  to  the  dual  obligation  on  Member  States  to 
allow  individuals  to  both  obtain  digital  travel  credentials  and  actually  use  them  for  travel 
purposes. Fulfilling this dual obligation is expected to result in the highest expected uptake of 
digital travel credentials of all policy options. The preferred option would give every Union 
citizen holding a compliant identity card the option to obtain a digital travel credential in the 
most effective way.  

Standardising identity card-based digital travel credentials would also bring further benefits, 
such as greater efficiency for transport carriers (airlines, passenger shipping, rail companies, 
etc.)  that  might  decide  on  a  voluntary  basis  to  integrate  these  digital  travel  credentials  into 
their workflows. By incorporating digital travel credentials into the European Digital Identity 
Wallet, this proposal would enable Union citizens to make further use of them.  

The preferred option puts a limited burden on Member States linked to the delivery of digital 
travel  credentials,  which  is  offset  by  the  expected  positive  impact  of  the  measures.  The 
ultimate benefits will depend on the uptake of digital travel credentials. Further information 
on the costs, benefits and scenario-based evaluations of the preferred option are provided in 
the impact assessment.  

No significant environmental impacts are expected from this initiative, in particular given that 
the initiative is not expected to have an impact on the volume of travel. 

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The  Regulatory  Scrutiny  Board  issued  a  positive  opinion  on  the  impact  assessment  on 
15 December 202322, in which it recommended that the impact assessment better distinguish 
benefits  in  terms  of  competitiveness  and  better  assess  costs  and  benefits  of  the  different 
options. 

• 

Regulatory fitness and simplification 

No specific impacts on small and medium-sized enterprises were identified in the process of 
preparing this proposal. 

As  this  proposal  would  set  up  an  identity  card-based  digital  travel  credential,  it  is  fully 
compatible with the ‘digital by default’ principle. 

• 

Fundamental rights 

This  proposal  has  a positive impact  on Union  citizens’ fundamental  right to  free movement 
and residence under Article 45 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union 
(‘the  Charter’)  by  introducing  a  digital  travel  credential  based  on  identity  cards  aimed  at 
facilitating the exercise of that right. 

This proposal will lead to the processing of personal data (including biometric data, namely 
the  facial  image  of  the  holder  of  the  digital  travel  credential).  The  obligation  to  include  a 
facial image in the digital travel credential issued on the basis of identity cards constitutes a 
limitation to both the right to respect for private life and the right to the protection of personal 
data23. Limitations on those rights must be provided for by law and must respect the essence 
of  those  rights.  In  addition,  in  compliance  with  the  principle  of  proportionality,  such 
limitations may be made only if they are necessary and genuinely meet objectives of general 
interest recognised by the Union or the need to protect the rights of others24. 
In  this  context,  the  proposal  provides  that  applicable  Union  legislation25,  notably  the 
provisions on the protection of personal data in the context of physical identity cards26, would 
apply. The limitations, as well as the conditions for application and scope of those limitations, 
will thus be laid down in Union legislation, primarily in this proposal as well as the proposed 
regulation  on  identity  cards27.  The  obligation  to  include  the  facial  image  of  the  holder  does 
not adversely affect the essence of the fundamental rights enshrined in Articles 7 and 8 of the 
Charter, as the information provided by the facial image does not, in itself, make it possible to 
have an overview of the private and family life of data subjects28. 

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27 
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SEC(2024) 670. 
Judgment of 21 March 2024, C-61/22, Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden, ECLI:EU:C:2024:251, paragraphs 
73 to 74. 
Judgment of 21 March 2024, C-61/22, Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden, ECLI:EU:C:2024:251, paragraph 
76. 
Regulation  (EU)  2016/679  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  27  April  2016  on  the 
protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of 
such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation) (OJ L 119, 4.5.2016, 
p.  1,  ELI:  http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/679/oj)  and  Directive  (EU)  2016/680  of  the  European 
Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the 
processing of personal data by competent authorities for the purposes of the prevention, investigation, 
detection  or  prosecution  of  criminal  offences  or  the  execution  of  criminal  penalties,  and  on  the  free 
movement  of  such  data,  and  repealing  Council  Framework  Decision  2008/977/JHA  (OJ  L  119, 
4.5.2016, p. 89, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2016/680/oj). 
COM(2024) 316 final. 
COM(2024) 316 final. 
See  also  judgment  of  21  March  2024,  C-61/22,  Landeshauptstadt  Wiesbaden,  ECLI:EU:C:2024:251, 
paragraphs 80 to 81. 

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The  inclusion  of  the  facial  image  in  the  digital  travel  credential  is  intended  to  enable  the 
holder of that credential to be reliably identified by comparing their facial image to that in the 
digital  travel  credential  when  the  digital  travel  credential  is  presented,  and  thus  to  combat 
document  fraud,  which  is  an  objective  of  general  interest  recognised  by  the  Union,  as  also 
confirmed by the Court of Justice29.  

The inclusion of the facial image in the digital travel credential is appropriate for attaining the 
general-interest objective of combating document fraud, as it is a means to reliably verify the 
identity of the holder of the digital travel credential, and thereby to reduce the risk of fraud.  

This is not called into question by the fact that digital travel credentials do not, unlike physical 
identity cards, include the fingerprints of the holder, because digital travel credentials are used 
in combination with a physical document rather than replacing them. If they have doubts as to 
the  authenticity  of  the  digital  travel  credential  or  the  identity  of  the  holder,  competent 
authorities retain the possibility to use the fingerprints stored in the chip of the identity card. 
There are currently no standards for the inclusion of fingerprints in digital travel credentials, 
and  due  to  the  cryptographic  protection  of  fingerprints,  it  is  in  any  event  not  possible  to 
extract them from the chip of the identity card. 

The  inclusion  of  the  facial  image  is  also  necessary  to  attain  the  general  interest  pursued. 
Without its inclusion, the digital travel  credential would only contain biographic data of the 
holder  (such  as  name,  date  of  birth,  etc.),  which  is  not  a  reliable  and  effective  means  of 
identification. 

In addition, the digital travel credentials based on this proposal will not contain personal data 
that are not already contained in the chip of the identity card on the basis of which it is issued. 
In fact, they will contain fewer personal data, given that the digital travel credential does not 
contain the fingerprints of the holder. 

As already noted by the Court of Justice in Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden on physical identity 
cards30,  the  limitations  resulting  from  the  inclusion  of  such  biometric  data  are  not  –  having 
regard to the nature of the data at issue, the nature of the processing operations, the manner in 
which  they  are  carried  out  and  the  safeguards  laid  down  –  of  a  seriousness  that  is 
disproportionate when compared with the significance of the objective pursued. Accordingly, 
such a measure must be regarded as being based on a fair balance between, on the one hand, 
those objectives and, on the other, the fundamental rights involved. As a result, the limitations 
on the exercise of the rights guaranteed in Articles 7 and 8 of the Charter are not contrary to 
the principle of proportionality. 

4. 

BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS 

The proposal has no implications for the Union budget. 

5. 

• 

OTHER ELEMENTS 

Implementation plans and monitoring, evaluation and reporting arrangements 

Within  5  years  of  the  creation  of  the  first  digital  travel  credentials  using  the  ‘EU  Digital 
Travel  application’,  the  Commission  will  evaluate  the  effectiveness,  efficiency,  relevance, 

29 

30 

Judgment of 21 March 2024, C-61/22, Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden, ECLI:EU:C:2024:251, paragraph 
87 and case-law cited. 
Judgment of 21 March 2024, C-61/22, Landeshauptstadt Wiesbaden, ECLI:EU:C:2024:251, paragraphs 
106-125. 

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8 

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coherence and Union added value of the proposal. This will ensure that sufficient data on all 
aspects of the regulation are available. That evaluation could be carried out together with the 
evaluation provided for in the accompanying proposal31. 

• 

Detailed explanation of the specific provisions of the proposal 

Article 1 describes the subject matter of the regulation. 

Article 2 contains the substantive rules on the creation of digital travel credentials based on 
identity cards that have been issued by Member States to their own nationals as referred to in 
Article 4(3) of Directive 2004/38/EC in a format that complies with the proposed regulation 
on physical identity cards32.  

When issuing a new identity card, Member States should provide applicants, at their request, 
with  a  corresponding  digital  travel  credential.  Holders  of  compatible  identity  cards  should 
also  be  able  to  request  a  corresponding  digital  travel  credential  from  the  Member  States 
having issued the identity card at a later stage. 

In addition, holders of an identity card should be able to create a digital travel credential based 
on  that  card.  It  should  be  possible  for  holders  to  be  issued  with  a  digital  travel  credential 
remotely  by  means  available  to  the  person  concerned,  such  as  a  mobile  phone  capable  of 
reading the contactless chip of the identity card together with a mobile phone application.  

Before  a  digital  travel  credential  is  created,  Member  States  should  put  in  place  a  system  to 
confirm the authenticity and integrity of the chip of the identity card and to match the facial 
image  of  the  person  seeking  to  create  the  digital  travel  credential  against  the  facial  image 
stored on the chip. This is to ensure that the digital travel credential is created by the person to 
whom the identity card was issued. 

For the purpose of creating a digital travel credential themselves, holders of an identity card 
should be able to use the ‘EU Digital Travel application’, provisions for which are laid down 
in  the  accompanying  proposal33.  This  application  will  support  the  creation  of  digital  travel 
credentials based on identity  cards, given that they will use the same technical  standards as 
digital travel credentials based on passports.  

Digital travel credentials should contain the same personal data, including the holder’s facial 
image, as the identity card on which they are based, apart from the fingerprints of the holder, 
which should not be included. 

It should be possible for holders of a digital travel credential to store it in the European Digital 
Identity Wallet. 

In  addition,  this  article  empowers  the  Commission  to  set,  by  way  of  implementing  act,  the 
latest date as of which Member States are to  enable the creation of digital travel credentials 
using the ‘EU Digital Travel application’. This empowerment is meant to ensure that the legal 
requirement  to  enable  the  creation  of  digital  travel  credentials  using  the  ‘EU  Digital  Travel 
application’ applies only once that application has become operational. 

Article  3  sets  out  the  obligation  for  Member  States  to  designate  contact  points  for  the 
implementation  of  the  regulation.  These  could  be  the  same  as  those  designated  for  the 
implementation of the proposed regulation on physical identity cards34. 

31 
32 
33 
34 

COM(2024) 670 final. 
COM(2024) 316 final. 
COM(2024) 670 final. 
COM(2024) 316 final. 

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Article  4  provides  that,  in  addition  to  the  generally  applicable  Union  data  protection  legal 
framework,  the  specific  data  protection  framework  of  the  proposed  regulation  on  identity 
cards35 is to apply to the processing of personal data under this regulation. No separate data 
protection  framework  is  needed  given  that  the  digital  travel  credentials  established  by  this 
regulation  contain  the  same  personal  data  as  physical  identity  cards,  except  for  the 
fingerprints of the holder, and are intended to be used for the same purposes. 

Article  5  empowers  the  Commission  to  adopt  the  necessary  technical  specifications, 
procedures and requirements for digital travel credentials issued on the basis of identity cards, 
including  those  regarding  their:  (i)  data  schema  and  format;  (ii)  issuance  and  disclosure 
process; (iii) validity; (iv) trust model; (v) authentication and validation; and (vi) revocation. 

These technical specifications should, as far as possible, be based on the relevant international 
standards and practices agreed upon at the level of ICAO to ensure both a consistent approach 
at international level and the global interoperability of digital travel credentials.  

The  technical  specifications  will  also  aim  to  ensure  that  the  digital  travel  credential  can  be 
stored in the European Digital Identity Wallet. 

Article  6  contains  rules  on  the  committee  tasked  with  assisting  the  Commission  in 
implementing the regulation. 
The ‘Committee on a uniform visa format’36 established by Article 6 of Council Regulation 
(EC)  No  1683/9537  is  designated  as  the  responsible  committee,  given  that  is  equally 
responsible  for  assisting  the  Commission  regarding  the  proposed  regulation  on  physical 
identity cards38. 

Article 7 sets out that the Commission is to evaluate the regulation and report thereon within 
5 years after the date as of which Member States  are to  enable the  creation of digital travel 
credentials  using  the  ‘EU  Digital  Travel  application’  as  per  the  implementing  act  to  be 
adopted  pursuant  to  Article  2.  This  evaluation  will  be  carried  out  in  line  with  the 
Commission’s  ‘better  regulation’  guidelines39  and  pursuant  to  paragraphs  22  and  23  of  the 
Interinstitutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making40. In order to be able to 
issue  such  a  report,  the  Commission  will  require  input  from  Member  States  and  relevant 
Union agencies.  

Article 8 contains rules on the entry into force and application of the regulation. It provides 
that Member States must start to issue identity card-based digital travel credentials outside the 
‘EU  Digital  Travel  application’  12  months  after  the  adoption  of  the  necessary  technical 
specifications  referred  to  in  Article  5.  Creating  identity  card-based  digital  travel  credentials 
using the ‘EU Digital Travel application’ will become possible at a later stage, and only once 
the Commission has adopted the implementing act referred to Article 2. 

35 
36 
37 

38 
39 

40 

COM(2024) 316 final. 
https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/comitology-register/screen/committees/C20800/consult?lang=en  
Council Regulation (EC) No 1683/95 of 29 May 1995 laying down a uniform format for visas (OJ L 
164, 14.7.1995, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/1995/1683/oj). 
COM(2024) 316 final. 
https://commission.europa.eu/law/law-making-process/planning-and-proposing-law/better-
regulation/better-regulation-guidelines-and-toolbox_en  
Interinstitutional Agreement between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and 
(OJ  L  123,  12.5.2016,  p.  1,  ELI: 
the  European  Commission  on  Better  Law-Making 
http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_interinstit/2016/512/oj). 

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2024/0248 (CNS) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL REGULATION 

on the issuance of and technical standards for digital travel credentials based on identity 
cards 

(Text with EEA relevance) 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European  Union,  and  in  particular 
Article 77(3) thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, 

After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament1, 

Acting in accordance with a special legislative procedure, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

1 
2 

3 

Pursuant  to  Directive  2004/38/EC  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council2 
physical  identity  cards  and  passports  are  the  documents  enabling  Union  citizens  to 
exercise their right to free movement and residence. 

In order to increase the reliability and acceptance of identity cards issued by Member 
States to their nationals and of residence documents issued by Member States to Union 
citizens and their family members and, therefore, facilitate the exercise of the right to 
free  movement,  Council  Regulation  (EU)  XXXX/XXXX3  [COM(2024)  316  final] 
strengthens  the  security  standards  applicable  to  those  identity  cards  and  residence 
documents. For identity cards, that Regulation sets out the security standards, format 
and specifications with which such physical documents are to comply with. 

To facilitate the exercise of the right to free movement and residence,  rules at Union 
level  should  be  laid  down  for  the  creation  of  identity  card-based  digital  travel 
credentials, that is, a digital representation of the person’s identity that is derived from 
the  information  stored  in  the  storage  medium  of  an  identity  card  and  that  can  be 
validated using the public key infrastructure of the authority issuing the identity card. 
Doing  so  also  serves  to  avoid  the  emergence  of  incompatible  standards  within  the 

OJ C […], […], p. […]. 
Directive 2004/38/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the right of 
citizens  of  the  Union  and  their  family  members  to  move  and  reside  freely  within  the  territory  of  the 
Member  States  amending  Regulation  (EEC)  No  1612/68  and  repealing  Directives  64/221/EEC, 
68/360/EEC,  72/194/EEC,  73/148/EEC,  75/34/EEC,  75/35/EEC,  90/364/EEC,  90/365/EEC  and 
93/96/EEC (OJ L 158, 30.4.2004, p. 77, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2004/38/oj). 
Council  Regulation  (EU)  XXXX/XXXX  of  […]  on  strengthening  the  security  of  identity  cards  of 
Union  citizens  and  of  residence  documents  issued  to  Union  citizens  and  their  family  members 
exercising their right of free movement (OJ L […], […], p. […], ELI: […]). 

EN 

11 

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Union,  and  makes  sure  that  all  Union  citizens  holding  an  identity  card  can  obtain 
digital travel credentials if they so wish. 

(4)  When  the  exercise  of  the  right  to  free  movement  involves  travel  to  another  Member 
State,  the  use  of  identity  card-based  digital  travel  credentials  could  speed  up  any 
applicable  checks.  Accordingly,  Union  citizens  should  be  entitled  to  receive  and  use 
digital travel credentials  based on their identity cards. At the same time, they should 
not be obliged to hold a digital travel credential or to continue using it once obtained. 

(5) 

(6) 

To make it easy for Union citizens to obtain a digital travel credential, Member States 
should,  when  issuing  an  identity  card  and  upon  request  of  the  applicant,  also  issue 
Union  citizens  with  a  corresponding  digital  travel  credential  based  on  harmonised 
Union specifications. 

In addition, given that a Union citizen may not have chosen to receive a digital travel 
credential when being issued an identity card, Member States should offer holders of 
identity  cards  issued  by  them  in  a  format  that  complies  with  the  requirements  of 
Regulation  (EU)  XXXX/XXXX  [COM(2024)  316  final]  the  possibility  to  create  a 
corresponding  digital  travel  credential  at  a  later  stage,  including  remotely  by  using 
devices such as mobile phones capable of reading the storage medium of the identity 
card together with a mobile phone application.  

(7)  When a digital travel credential is created remotely, Member States should ensure, by 
configuring  the  necessary  software  solution  accordingly,  that  the  authenticity  and 
integrity of the storage medium of the physical identity card are verified and that the 
facial  image  of  the  person  seeking  to  create  the  digital  travel  credential  is  matched 
against the facial image stored on the storage medium before the credential is created. 
This is to ensure that digital travel credentials are only created by the person to whom 
the identity card was issued. 

(8) 

Given that the ‘EU Digital Travel application’, provisions for which are laid down in 
Regulation  (EU)  XXXX/XXXX  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council4 
[COM(2024) 670 final], will allow for the creation of digital travel credentials based 
on  identity  cards  that  meet  the  requirements  of  Regulation  (EU)  XXXX/XXXX 
[COM(2024) 316 final], Union citizens holding such identity cards should be able to 
use that application when remotely creating corresponding digital travel credentials. 

(9) 

The digital travel credential should support being stored in European Digital Identity 
Wallets  issued  in  accordance  with  Regulation  (EU)  No  910/2014  of  the  European 
Parliament and of the Council5. 

(10)  Given  that  they  are  derived  from  an  identity  card,  digital  travel  credentials  should 
contain  the  same  personal  data,  including  a  facial  image.  The  inclusion  of  biometric 
data, namely the facial image, in the digital travel credential should enable the holder 
of that credential to be reliably identified by comparing their facial image to that in the 
digital  travel  credential  when  the  digital  travel  credential  is  presented,  and  thus  to 

4 

5 

Regulation (EU) XXXX/XXXX of the European Parliament and of the Council of […] establishing an 
application for the electronic submission of travel data (“EU Digital Travel application”) and amending 
Regulations  (EU)  2016/399  and  (EU)  2018/1726  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  and 
Council Regulation (EC) No 2252/2004, as regards the use of digital travel credentials (OJ L […], […], 
p. […], ELI: […]). 
Regulation  (EU)  No  910/2014  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  23  July  2014  on 
electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the internal market (OJ L 257, 
28.8.2014, p. 73, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2014/910/oj). 

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12 

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combat  document  fraud.  As  the  Court  of  Justice  confirmed,  combating  document 
fraud,  which  includes,  among  other  things,  combating  the  production  of  false 
documents and combating the use of genuine documents by people other than the true 
owners  of  those  genuine  documents,  constitutes  an  objective  of  general  interest 
recognised by the Union. 

(11)  However,  digital  travel  credentials  should  not  include  the  fingerprints  of  the  holder, 
which are present in the storage medium of identity cards to combat document fraud. 
There  are  currently  no  standards  for  their  inclusion  in  digital  travel  credentials,  and 
due  to  their  cryptographic  protection,  it  is  in  any  event  not  possible  to  extract 
fingerprints from the storage medium of identity cards. The absence of fingerprints in 
digital travel credentials does not undermine the protection against the fraudulent use 
of  identity  cards,  as  digital  travel  credentials  are  used  in  combination  with  physical 
identity  cards  rather  than  replacing  them.  If  competent  authorities  have  doubts  as  to 
the authenticity of the digital travel credential or the identity of the holder, they retain 
the possibility to use the fingerprints stored in the storage medium of the identity card. 

(12)  To  boost  the  uptake  of  digital  travel  credentials,  and  without  prejudice  to  the 
competence of Member States to determine the fees for the issuance of identity cards, 
digital travel credentials should be issued free of charge.  

(13)  Member  States  should  exchange  with  each  other  the  information  necessary  to  allow 
for the verification of the authenticity and validity of digital travel credentials. 

(14)  Given that a digital travel credential issued pursuant to this Regulation consists of the 
information  in  the  storage  medium  of  the  holder’s  identity  card,  its  issuance  should 
facilitate  the  exercise  of  free  movement  and  residence  for  persons  holding  such  a 
document, including in the context of entry into the territory of a Member State.  
(15)  Regulation  (EU)  2016/679  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council6  applies 
with regard to the personal data to be processed in the context of the application of this 
Regulation.  Given  that  the  digital  travel  credentials  established  by  this  Regulation 
contain  the  same  personal  data  as  identity  cards,  except  for  the  fingerprints  of  the 
holder,  and  are  used  for  the  same  purposes,  the  specific  rules  in  Regulation  (EU) 
XXXX/XXXX [COM(2024) 316 final] on the protection of personal data should also 
apply to digital travel credentials covered by this Regulation. 

(16) 

In  order  to  ensure  uniform  conditions  for  the  issuance  and  creation  of  identity  card-
based  digital  travel  credentials,  implementing  powers  should  be  conferred  on  the 
Commission to adopt technical specifications, procedures and requirements, including 
regarding  their  issuance  process,  validity,  authentication,  validation  and  revocation. 
When  drawing  up  the  technical  specifications  for  the  digital  travel  credential,  the 
Commission  should,  as  far  as  possible,  base  itself  on  the  relevant  international 
standards  and  practices  agreed  upon  through  the  International  Civil  Aviation 
Organization to ensure both a consistent approach at international level and the global 
interoperability  of  digital  travel  credentials.  The  Commission  should  also  seek  to 
ensure  accessibility  for  persons  with  disabilities  in  accordance  with  accessibility 
requirements under Union law. In addition, implementing powers should be conferred 
on  the  Commission  to  confirm  that  it  is  technically  possible  to  create  identity  card-

6 

Regulation  (EU)  2016/679  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  27  April  2016  on  the 
protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of 
such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation) (OJ L 119, 4.5.2016, 
p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/679/oj). 

EN 

13 

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based  digital  travel  credentials  using  the  ‘EU  Digital  Travel  application’,  provisions 
for  which  are  laid  down  in  Regulation  (EU)  XXXX/XXXX  [COM(2024)  670  final] 
and, on that basis, to establish the date as of which Member States should enable the 
creation  of  identity  card-based  digital  travel  credentials  using  that  application  at  the 
latest. Those implementing powers should be exercised in accordance with Regulation 
(EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council7.  

(17)  Since the objectives of this Regulation, namely to facilitate the exercise of the right of 
free movement by establishing identity card-based digital travel credentials, cannot be 
sufficiently achieved by the Member States but can rather, by reason of the scale and 
effects of the action, be better achieved at Union level, the Union may adopt measures, 
in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty on 
European Union. In accordance with the principle of proportionality as set out in that 
Article, this Regulation does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve those 
objectives. 

(18) 

(19) 

(20) 

In  accordance  with  paragraphs  22  and  23  of  the  Interinstitutional  Agreement 
of 13 April 2016  on  Better  Law-Making8,  the  Commission  should  carry  out  an 
evaluation of this Regulation in order to assess its actual effects and the need for any 
further action. 

In  accordance  with  Articles  1  and  2  of  Protocol  No  22  on  the  position  of  Denmark, 
annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the 
European Union, Denmark is not taking part in the adoption of this Regulation and is 
not bound by it or subject to its application. 

[In  accordance  with  Article  3  of  the  Protocol  No  21  on  the  position  of  the  United 
Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice, annexed 
to the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European 
Union, Ireland has notified its wish to take part in the adoption and application of this 
Regulation.]  OR  [In  accordance  with  Articles  1  and  2  of  Protocol  No  21  on  the 
position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security 
and  justice,  annexed  to  the  Treaty  on  European  Union  and  to  the  Treaty  on  the 
Functioning  of  the  European  Union,  and  without  prejudice  to  Article  4  of  that 
Protocol, Ireland is not taking part in the adoption of this Regulation and is not bound 
by it or subject to its application.] 

(21)  This Regulation respects fundamental rights and observes the principles recognised in 
particular by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (the Charter) 
including the right of free movement and the right to the protection of personal data. 
Member States should comply with the Charter when implementing this Regulation. 

7 

8 

Regulation  (EU)  No  182/2011  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  16  February  2011 
laying down the rules and general principles concerning mechanisms for control by Member States of 
the  Commission’s  exercise  of 
implementing  powers  (OJ  L  55,  28.2.2011,  p.  13,  ELI: 
http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/182/oj). 
Interinstitutional Agreement between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and 
(OJ  L  123,  12.5.2016,  p.  1,  ELI: 
the  European  Commission  on  Better  Law-Making 
http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_interinstit/2016/512/oj). 

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14 

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(22)  The  European  Data  Protection  Supervisor  was  consulted  in  accordance  with  Article 
42(1) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council9 
and delivered an opinion on XXXX10, 

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 

Article 1 
Subject matter 

This  Regulation  lays  down  the  framework  for  the  issuance  and  creation  of  digital  travel 
credentials based on identity cards issued by Member States to Union citizens in accordance 
with the requirements laid down in Regulation (EU) XXXX/XXXX [COM(2024) 316 final] 
for  the  purpose  of  facilitating  the  exercise  of  the  right  referred  to  in  Article 20(2)(a)  of  the 
Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European  Union  by  Union  citizens  holding  such  digital 
travel credentials. 

Article 2 
Digital travel credentials 

1. 

2. 

3. 

Upon  request  from  the  person  having  applied  for  an  identity  card,  identity  cards 
issued by Member States shall be accompanied by a digital travel credential. 

Upon  request  from  the  holder  of  an  identity  card  issued  in  accordance  with  the 
requirements  of  Regulation  (EU)  XXXX/XXXX  [COM(2024)  316  final],  the 
Member State having issued the identity card shall issue a digital travel credential. 

Member States shall offer holders of an identity card issued by them  in accordance 
with the requirements of Regulation (EU) XXXX/XXXX [COM(2024) 316 final] the 
possibility to remotely create a digital travel credential. To that effect, holders shall 
be able to use the ‘EU Digital Travel application’, provisions for which are laid down 
in Regulation (EU) XXXX/XXXX [COM(2024) 670 final]. Holders shall be allowed 
to access the parts of the storage medium of identity cards that are necessary for the 
purpose of creating a digital travel credential. 

Before  the  digital  travel  credential  is  created,  Member  States  shall  ensure  that  the 
integrity and authenticity of the storage medium of the identity card are verified and 
that  the  facial  image  of  the  person  seeking  to  create  the  digital  travel  credential  is 
matched against the facial image stored on the storage medium. 

4. 

Digital travel credentials issued or created pursuant to this Article shall: 

(a) 

be based on the technical specifications adopted pursuant to Article 5; 

(b)  be  in  a  format  that  enables  their  storage  in  European  Digital  Identity  Wallets 

issued in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 910/2014; 

(c) 

be free of charge; 

9 

10 

EN 

Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the 
protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, 
bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 
45/2001 
39,  ELI: 
and  Decision  No 
http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2018/1725/oj). 
OJ C […], […], p. […]. 

1247/2002/EC 

21.11.2018, 

(OJ  L 

295, 

p. 

15 

  EN 

 
5. 

6. 

(d) 

contain  the  same  personal  data,  including  facial  image,  as  the  identity  card 
based on which they are issued or created. 

For the purpose of point (d), digital travel  credentials  issued or created  pursuant  to 
this Article shall not include the fingerprints of the holder. 

Member  States  shall  enable  the  authentication  and  validation  of  digital  travel 
credentials  in  accordance  with  the  technical  specifications  adopted  pursuant  to 
Article 5. 

Once  the  Commission  has  confirmed  that  it  is  technically  possible  to  create  digital 
travel credentials based on identity cards issued in accordance with the requirements 
laid down in Regulation (EU) XXXX/XXXX [COM(2024) 316 final] using the ‘EU 
Digital  Travel  application’,  provisions  for  which  are  laid  down  in  Regulation  (EU) 
XXXX/XXXX  [COM(2024) 670 final], Member States shall enable the creation of 
digital travel credentials pursuant to paragraph 3 of this Article at the latest from the 
date set by the Commission by means of an implementing act. That implementing act 
shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 
6(2). 

Article 3 
Contact point 

Each Member State shall designate an authority as the contact point for the implementation of 
this  Regulation.  Each  Member  State  shall  communicate  the  name  of  that  authority  to  the 
Commission  and  the  other  Member  States.  If  a  Member  State  changes  its  designated 
authority, it shall inform the Commission and the other Member States accordingly. 

Article 4 
Protection of personal data 

Personal data stored in digital travel credentials issued or created pursuant to Article 2 shall be 
processed in accordance with Article 11 of Regulation (EU) XXXX/XXXX [COM(2024) 316 
final]. 

Article 5 
Technical specifications, procedures and requirements 

The  Commission  shall,  by  way  of  implementing  acts,  adopt  technical  specifications, 
procedures  and  requirements  for  digital  travel  credentials  issued  or  created  on  the  basis  of 
identity cards, including on their: 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

(f) 

data schema and format; 

issuance and disclosure process; 

validity; 

trust model; 

authentication and validation; 

revocation. 

Those  implementing  acts  shall  be  adopted  in  accordance  with  the  examination  procedure 
referred to in Article 6(2). 

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When  adopting  those  technical  specifications,  the  Commission  shall  take  into  account 
accessibility requirements under Union law.  

Article 6 
Committee procedure 

1. 

2. 

The  Commission  shall  be  assisted  by  the  Committee  established  by  Article  6  of 
Council Regulation (EC) No 1683/9511. That committee shall be a committee within 
the meaning of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011. 

Where  reference  is  made  to  this  paragraph,  Article  5  of  Regulation  (EU)  No 
182/2011 shall apply. 

Article 7 
Evaluation 

By  5  years  after  the  adoption  of  the  implementing  act  referred  to  in  Article  2(6),  the 
Commission shall carry out an evaluation of this Regulation and present a report on the main 
findings to the European Parliament and the Council. 

Member  States  and  relevant  Union  agencies  shall  provide  the  Commission  with  the 
information necessary for the preparation of that report. 

Article 8 
Entry into force 

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in 
the Official Journal of the European Union. 

Article  2(1)  and  Article  2(2)  shall  apply  from  12  months  after  the  entry  into  force  of  the 
technical specifications, procedures and requirements referred to in Article 5. 

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in the Member States in 
accordance with the Treaties. 

Done at Strasbourg, 

For the Council 
The President 

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Council Regulation (EC) No 1683/95 of 29 May 1995 laying down a uniform format for visas (OJ L 
164, 14.7.1995, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/1995/1683/oj). 

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