# EDI Meetup summary and notes

[Link to event](https://edi.pleio.nl/groups/view/b3d6dbc0-959c-4c07-9048-14fb9f736bcd/edi-programma-algemeen/events/view/26065632-9bac-4b02-9af6-ef0bc039bb61/edi-meet-up-fysieke-sessie-kennismaken-met-reeds-bestaande-nl-wallets)

## Relevant links

* [Verkenning eWallets - Speelveldanalyse](https://open.overheid.nl/repository/ronl-7e1b0a3a6ec0c16acc36168f3af5f26d071bac82/1/pdf/verkenning-ewallets-speelveldanalyse.pdf)
* [IRMA](https://www.amsterdam.nl/innovatie/digitalisering-technologie/digitalisering/irma-nieuwe-manier-inloggen/?utm_source=www.amsterdam.nl&utm_medium=internet&utm_campaign=inloggen-met-irma&utm_content=redirect)
* [Datakeeper](https://datakeeper.nl/)
* [Ockto](https://www.ockto.com/)
* [Schluss](https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=schluss+app+&ia=web)
* [Publicatie Kamerbrief voortgang Europese Digitale Identiteit](https://open.overheid.nl/repository/ronl-e7df281c5e2045aae4dc3819da2c510030087188/1/pdf/kamerbrief-over-voortgang-europese-digitale-identiteit.pdf)
* [respective regulation of the EU parliament and of the council - English version](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:52021PC0281&from=EN)
* [further Reading EU legislation](https://edi.pleio.nl/groups/view/b3d6dbc0-959c-4c07-9048-14fb9f736bcd/programma-edi-algemeen/wiki/view/25b8bd06-3972-44f1-b380-c8ef924b3e40/europees-beleid)

Date of event: Oct 7, 2022
Date of document: Oct 11, 2022

## Background

The event is a hosted by EDI (Europese Digitale Identiteit). EDI is an open-to-the-public working group of related to the Dutch government. Everyone interested has free access and can become a member. The (obvious) focus of the group is European and Dutch digital identity (and identity wallets). Edi is a subpart of [pleio](pleio.nl), an open-source platform with HQ in Eindhoven. It has trong ties to the Rijksoverheid (Dutch government), provincies (Dutch counties), and gemeenten (Dutch municipalities). In general their aim is to provide an open-source platform to facilitate open-source work. Project funding is encouraged to come from the government or government-related sources.

## The event

The event was split in 4+ parts - the + being a general introduction and overview. The EDI working group moderated the event. The four parts were presentations of the these four companies about their (SSI) products:

1. [IRMA](https://www.amsterdam.nl/innovatie/digitalisering-technologie/digitalisering/irma-nieuwe-manier-inloggen/?utm_source=www.amsterdam.nl&utm_medium=internet&utm_campaign=inloggen-met-irma&utm_content=redirect)
2. [Datakeeper](https://datakeeper.nl/)
3. [Ockto](https://www.ockto.com/)
4. [Schluss](https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=schluss+app+&ia=web)

### Intro

The EDI workgroup basically bridges the gap between EU and Dutch legislation (creation and maintenance of the law) regarding digital identity and its implementation and adaptation through governmenent, industry, and the public. It leaves the door open to anyone wanting to participate.

Current EU legislation mandates that every EU member state needs to provide one or more digital wallet(s) to the public **by 2025**. On the one hand, that is very soon. On the other hand, the legislation does not seem to specify much about enforcing adoptation. Further, the usage of such wallets is not mandated and the use of classical identity verification such as physical ID cards or passports has to remain a valid means of doing so [^1].

All four company presentation were highly related but not exclusive to the realm of the Netherlands.

### IRMA

[IRMA](https://www.amsterdam.nl/innovatie/digitalisering-technologie/digitalisering/irma-nieuwe-manier-inloggen/?utm_source=www.amsterdam.nl&utm_medium=internet&utm_campaign=inloggen-met-irma&utm_content=redirect) is an Amsterdam-based digital identiy wallet project by the Gemeente Amsterdam. It is publically funded and aimed at residencts of Amsterdam. Their product is a wallet mobile app featuring:

* Safely (and anonymously where possible) share parts of your identity
* Age verification
* Share your neighbourhood without sharing your exact address ( useful when wanting to participate and/or vote in neighbourhood related projects and votes)
* Be in control what you share and with whom
* In contrast to DigiD do not *only* share your BSN (Burger Service Nummer) but also other data that you choose

Their product is resident-focused and a not-for-profit service to residents. Some interesting aspects mentioned where their research projects they do in colaboraiton with e.g. UvA (Universiteit van Amsterdam) where they reserached usability and adaption of a wallet app that uses passport scanning among different age groups. They identified that elderly people were fine with using such app in general, but scanning a passport for photo and NFC is challenging for them and hence a hurdle for mass adaptation of such wallet apps [^2].

### Datakeeper

[Datakeeper](https://datakeeper.nl/) is a privately funded spin-off from teh RaboBank R&D section. Their product also is a mobile app. It aims at the triage of Banks, consumers/sudtomers and, for instance, mortgage brokers. Here, the triangle of entities can safely und with guaranteed trust share data about identity and related finances.

This product is a for profit service where it is unclear who eventually stems the cost. However, it at least appears somewhat consumer friendly because the motivation to develop this by RabaBank was clearly that a lot of resources have to be spent by a bank to verify (and not leak) customer data in order to guarantee things such as giving out an appropriate loan to a ligitimate person under the correct conditions. The bank has a vested interest in providing and using such service.

### Ockto

[Ockto](https://www.ockto.com/) ia another private for-profit wallet app. Unlike Datakeeper they do not have a vested interest interest themselves other than "this is a business opportunity and we can provide a service people want for a price". Nothing wrong with that per se but it became clear that Ockto is purely a FinTech endeavour that wants to enter a market with their product in order to make a profit.

### Schluss

[Schluss](https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=schluss+app+&ia=web) is a stichting (foundation - not-for-profit) based in Amsterdam. Their product is also a digital wallet. Their mission or rather values seem very much alligned with ours as they eventually want to make digital identity (or SSI even) accessible and easy to use for the public. However, in contrast to ANimo, they are solution-focused on their wallet app as opposed to our involvement in standards and frameworks (or upcoming SaaS platform). How they currently sustain financial is somewhat unclear to me (possibly donation-based and/or investors). Eventually they do believe that the consumer is willing to pay for their product/service as they conjecture that a safe digital wallet where the user in control. In other words, the end-user pays.

## Implications for Animo

This is relevant for Animo in several ways:

1. As per EU and Dutch legislation digital identity (and therefore SSI) will be a growing sector until and included 2025. Unless the legislation and ideas behind it get binned after the launch (unlikely if you ask me) the sector will grow further. Hence, more potential customers for Animo.
2. The respective startup scene in the Netherlands is:
1. Wallet-focused. That can mean at four things:
1. Animo can enter the market with a competetive wallet
2. Animo can provide services/consultancy to wallet providers (w/o providing an Animo wallet neccessarily)
3. Animo can likely continue with framwork development and get funcding for it from the EU/Dutch government in order to provide software to build such wallet technology
2. Likely more advanced than other EU member states implying that:
1. Animo has expertise exceeding that of companies in other EU member states. We could therefore offer SSI/ digital identity services in other EU countries. This is a growing market.
2. Adoption in other EU countries will also result in wallet apps. Animo could build such solutions (or parts of it as we do for IDCrypt and NymLab already) for clients in toher countries.
3. Divided into public and private sector apps that are a range of for-profit and not-for-profit. Animo can see how we want to position ourselves within that - if we want to at all - and find our sweet spot combining Animo values with financially sustainable business.
4. All of the above companies are potential Paradym customers. That said adopters in other EU countries will have similar needs and we should probably identify and target them as customers for Paradym

## Other remarks and opinions

Please, feel free and encouraged to add and amend this article. The author does not claim complete correctness nor objectivity.

[^1]: General presentation slide deck [here](https://edi.pleio.nl/attachment/c7135eb5-8e2e-432f-bcab-612562145f9a).
[^2]: This research paper was presented but I cannot find it online. Please, add it if you do.