European Business Wallet timeline: from proposal to regulation
The European Business Wallet timeline became considerably more concrete in June 2026. On 9 June 2026, the Council of the European Union adopted a general approach on the proposal for a regulation establishing European business wallets, an important step toward a political agreement with the European Parliament before the end of 2026. For businesses operating across borders within the EU, including users of Peppol e-invoicing, it is worth following this European Business Wallet timeline closely: the regulation touches directly on digital identity, document exchange, and potentially e-invoicing addressing as well.
From the Competitiveness Compass to a legislative proposal
The European Business Wallet (EBW) originates in the Competitiveness Compass that the European Commission presented in January 2025. There, the Commission announced it would develop a proposal building on the European digital identity framework (eIDAS 2.0). Between 15 May and 12 June 2025, the Commission ran a public consultation. Respondents broadly welcomed the idea of a business wallet and called for a technologically neutral, flexible, and future-proof solution.
On 19 November 2025, the European Commission published the formal legislative proposal: the regulation on the establishment of European Business Wallets (COM(2025) 838, procedure 2025/0358(COD)). The proposal forms part of a broader digital package aimed at reducing administrative and compliance burdens for businesses. Core functions of the EBW include secure identification, electronic signing and sealing of documents, and transmitting and receiving data through a qualified electronic registered delivery service. Actions carried out through the wallet have the same legal effect as actions carried out in person or on paper.
The position of the Council of the European Union
At the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council meeting on 5 December 2025, member states discussed the proposal for the first time at Council level. Views diverged: Italy expressed strong support, while Estonia and Poland were more sceptical, warning of duplication with existing national systems and unnecessary costs.
On 9 June 2026, the Council nonetheless adopted a general approach. Nicodemos Damianou, Cyprus’s Deputy Minister for Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, called the agreement an important step that puts the EU on track to reach a political agreement before the end of 2026, in line with the March 2026 European Council conclusions and the “One Europe, One Market” roadmap. The Council’s position introduces several refinements to the original Commission proposal: the EBW should complement existing national B2B and B2G systems rather than replace them, national procedural requirements remain applicable alongside the wallet, existing powers of attorney and legal mandates remain unaffected, and European Business Wallet providers face a higher cybersecurity threshold along with stronger involvement of national supervisory bodies in cases of systemic non-compliance. Supervisory bodies were also given more time to review applications from prospective providers: sixty days instead of the thirty initially proposed.
The position of the European Parliament
In the European Parliament, the file has been assigned to the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE). The rapporteur is Eero Heinäluoma (S&D, Finland), who published his draft report on 20 March 2026. Heinäluoma broadly welcomes the Commission proposal and supports keeping use of the EBW voluntary for businesses. He does propose adjusting the acceptance obligation for public bodies: municipalities with ten thousand inhabitants or fewer should be exempted, to avoid imposing a disproportionate financial burden on them. To strengthen digital sovereignty, the rapporteur further argues that wallet providers, qualified electronic registered delivery service providers, and cloud providers should be established in the EU and remain free from third-country control, and that wallet data should be processed and stored exclusively within the Union. Members of the European Parliament have since tabled hundreds of amendments to the text, and the European Economic and Social Committee has also issued its opinion.
The European Business Wallet timeline: what happens next
Before trilogue negotiations between the Council, Parliament, and Commission can begin, Parliament must first adopt its own negotiating position based on the draft report and the amendments tabled. A political agreement is expected before the end of 2026, in line with the European Council’s ambition. Formal adoption and publication in the EU Official Journal are expected in the first half of 2027. From entry into force, public administrations will have 24 months to ensure they can accept the core functions of the European Business Wallet. Within three years of entry into force, the Commission must evaluate the regulation and consider whether to adjust its scope or make use of the wallet mandatory.
Timeline at a glance
- January 2025: announced in the European Commission’s Competitiveness Compass
- May-June 2025: public consultation on the business wallet
- 19 November 2025: Commission publishes the legislative proposal
- 5 December 2025: first discussion at the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council
- 20 March 2026: draft report by rapporteur Eero Heinäluoma (ITRE)
- 9 June 2026: Council adopts its general approach
- Expected late 2026: political agreement between Council and Parliament
- Expected early 2027: formal adoption and publication of the regulation
- 24 months after entry into force: public administrations must be able to accept core EBW functions
What this means for your business
Until the regulation is formally adopted, participation in the European Business Wallet remains voluntary for businesses, with no direct obligations. Still, it is worth following developments closely, especially for businesses already working with Peppol Service Providers: the EBW is designed as an identity and addressing layer that can work alongside existing networks such as Peppol, not as a replacement for them. A detailed analysis of how the European Business Wallet relates to e-invoicing and the Peppol network can be found in European Business Wallet e-invoicing: the architectural solution.
Want to lay the right foundation for cross-border e-invoicing ahead of the European Business Wallet timeline? Compare certified Peppol Service Providers on Peppol.now and choose a solution that grows with EU regulation.
Sources
- Council of the European Union, press release “European business wallets: Council adopts negotiating position”, 9 June 2026
- European Commission, “European Business Wallets”, Shaping Europe’s digital future
- European Parliament, Legislative Train Schedule: “European business wallets”
- Proposal for a regulation on the establishment of European Business Wallets, COM(2025) 838
- European Parliament, Legislative Observatory, procedure 2025/0358(COD)
- WE BUILD Consortium
