In future, it will be possible to use the German eID function throughout the EU

With notification, Germany enables users of the German eID function of the national ID card and the electronic residence permit to use the eID function in connection with administrative services of the EU member states.

The graphic shows this process with the green arrow and the green box.

Source: Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community Graphic: The reciprocal recognition of national eID solutions within the EU

The technical prerequisite for the eID to be recognized in the other EU member states is the provision of certain software known as middleware, which serves as the interface between the eID function of Germany’s national ID card and electronic residence permit on the one hand and the eID solutions of the other EU member states on the other.

First cross-border integration of the German eID

As part of a joint pilot project by the Netherlands, Austria and Germany, the German eIDAS middleware (i.e., the adjusted eID server and eIDAS interface) has successfully been integrated with the Dutch eID system.

The integration of the German eIDAS middleware into the Dutch authentication service has been completed and went into regular operation on 23 January 2017.

Since then, it has been possible to use the eID function of Germany’s national ID card and electronic residence permit for cross-border identification with the Dutch national eID infrastructure.

Dutch administrative services will now be gradually connected to the authentication service. The Austrian eID system has also been successfully integrated with the Dutch infrastructure.