By December 2026, the 27 EU member states must offer their citizens a digital identity wallet (EUDI Wallet) able to store and share, interoperably, credentials such as a degree or a professional qualification. This is the change eIDAS2 introduces, and it lands squarely on those who today hold and certify those credentials: professional bodies and regulators.
This guide sums up what changes with the European Professional Card and eIDAS2, and what a board has to prepare so it does not arrive late.
What the European Professional Card is
The European Professional Card (EPC) is an electronic procedure for a professional to have their qualification recognized in another member state. Today it covers a few professions — nursing, physiotherapy, pharmacy, mountain guides, real-estate agents — and relies on the internal market information system so origin and destination authorities can communicate.
What eIDAS2 adds
eIDAS2 (EU Regulation 2024/1183) goes beyond basic identity. It introduces electronic attestations of attributes: verifiable statements of data such as a professional qualification, issued by qualified providers and with cross-border recognition across the EU.
The first eIDAS did not cover attributes such as medical certificates or professional qualifications, leaving their electronic recognition in limbo. eIDAS2 closes that gap: a qualification verified in one state should be presentable and accepted in another.
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The date that sets the agenda
| Milestone | Deadline |
|---|---|
| eIDAS2 Regulation in force | 2024 |
| EUDI wallets available in all 27 states | December 2026 |
| Professional attributes as a verifiable credential | From wallet availability |
For a board, December 2026 is not a distant date: it is the moment its members start expecting their license to travel with them in a verifiable digital format.
What a board has to prepare
- 1A structured, verifiable registry.
A digital credential is only worth something if there is a reliable source behind it. The member roll has to be a queryable source of truth, not a spreadsheet.
- 2Solid source verification.
Before issuing a verifiable credential you have to be sure of the basis. The Verifier Agent confirms the degree against the issuing university before it enters the registry.
- 3Always-current status.
A verifiable credential that does not reflect a suspension is worse than none. The Trust Agent keeps the status current continuously.
- 4The ability to issue and revoke.
The system has to be able to issue the attestation and, above all, revoke it when a member is no longer licensed.
Booka's role
Booka provides the credentialing infrastructure that sits beneath the European wallet: source verification, a live registry, continuous monitoring, and issuance under the board's brand and authority. The wallet is the container; the reliable credential inside it is what the board has to guarantee.
Conclusion
eIDAS2 and the European Professional Card move the professional qualification onto the citizen's phone, verifiable in any state. For boards, the 2026 question is not whether they take part, but whether their registry is verified and current enough to issue credentials other states can trust. Preparing it now is the difference between leading the change and chasing it.