German MEP Siegbert Frank Droese (ESN) has asked the European Commission to clarify how it will prevent digital identity systems from becoming the de facto sole means of access to the digital euro, potentially sidelining national identification methods such as identity cards. The question, tabled on 18 June 2026, targets the interests of EU citizens who rely on traditional ID and national authorities that manage such systems.
The written parliamentary question notes that the digital euro's legal framework increasingly integrates digital identity for identification and access procedures. While Droese acknowledges digital identity as a useful optional tool, he warns that growing uptake could gradually displace national forms of identification and other traditional means of access in practice.
Droese asks the Commission to specify how it will ensure that access to the digital euro remains possible through national identity cards and other traditional methods, and that digital identity does not become the only practical means of identification or access over the long term.
The question reflects a policy tension between promoting digital innovation and safeguarding national sovereignty over identification systems. The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks; its answer will signal whether it prioritises harmonisation through digital identity or guarantees continued coexistence with national ID schemes.