The European Commission proposed on Tuesday to make passports and identity cards available in a digital format as well as a physical document to ease travel to and within the Schengen zone.

The digital version of the documents will contain the credentials currently available in the chip of passports or IDs, including photos but not fingerprints, and make them accessible on the mobile phone when crossing the border or accessing other services.

According to the proposal, the digital version of the documents won’t replace existing ones. Travellers will still have to carry physical documents at border control, but those with a digital passport or ID will be able to tap it for verification.

The digital credentials will not be mandatory and will be issued only upon request when receiving a new passport or ID. They will also be free of charge.

The Commission says it will also develop an EU digital travel app that will self-generate the digital documents. This should be ready by 2030. Meanwhile, EU countries can put in place national systems and the Netherlands, Finland and Croatia already had pilot projects.

“With almost 600 million crossings recorded in 2023 only, there is a need to speed up border controls and ensure smoother travel, while at the same time maintaining a high level of security, ensuring that each and every traveller is checked,” the Commission said in a press release.

It will also be possible to link the credentials to the European Digital Identity wallet, together with digital driving licences, medical prescriptions, and other documents recognised across the EU.

The Commission also says national authorities could allow EU citizens to use their digital identity cards for other administrative procedures, for example to register as residents in another EU country or to access electronic identification schemes, such as DigiD.

Earlier plans for an EU-wide digital wallet that enables citizens to identify themselves and share electronic documents across the EU came under fire from privacy experts. Dutch MPs objected to the idea in the previous legislative term.

“Personal data is the reason why we are using encryption methods and it is subject to the general data protection framework and consent rules. So I want to assure all the possible users in the future of such a digital ID card that we will protect their personal data,” said EU Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders at a press conference.

The European Parliament and Council still have to approve the plan.