In 2023, Cyprus reached an important milestone in its digital transformation journey with the successful notification of its national electronic identification (eID) scheme at the highest level of assurance under eIDAS. This recognition secures mutual acceptance of the Cypriot eID across the European Union and positions the country at the forefront of trusted digital identity adoption.
The Cypriot scheme was developed to provide citizens and residents with a secure digital identity that can be used for authentication, electronic signing, and access to eGovernment and cross-border services.
It is currenlty operated by JCC Payment Systems, a Qualified Trust Service Provider with long-standing expertise in secure financial and identity infrastructures, and is supervised by the Department of Electronic Communications of the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy.
With its recognition under LoA High, the scheme guarantees the strongest level of trust and security currently possible under eIDAS, and will serve as a foundation for future interoperability with the forthcoming EU Digital Identity Wallet.
Preparing and notifying such an eID scheme required a complex balance of technical robustness, procedural governance, and regulatory alignment. For Cyprus, the journey was carried out in two distinct phases:
The first involved readiness assessment and pre-notification to the eIDAS Cooperation Network, where the draft scheme was submitted for initial peer review. SpearIT supported this phase by conducting tecnhical, organizational, and legal assessments, refining the compliance framework, proposing concrete mitigatino actionbs, and preparing the documentation required for the European process.
Once the scheme was accepted for review, attention shifted to the second and most demanding phase: addressing detailed feedback from Member States, fine-tuning organizational and technical aspects, and presenting the scheme for final notification.
Throughout this journey, SpearIT worked hand-in-hand with both JCC Payment Systems and the Department of Electronic Communications, bridging regulatory, procedural, and technical perspectives. Our team represented the scheme during Cooperation Network meetings in Brussels and ensured that every element—from governance documentation to assurance levels—was aligned with eIDAS expectations and peer review requirements.
On December 6, 2023, the European Commission issued its positive opinion confirming the Cypriot eID scheme as fully notified at LoA High. This recognition has immediate impact:
The notification of the Cypriot national eID scheme demonstrates how identity-first consulting can deliver tangible results. By combining regulatory expertise, technical assurance, and practical governance, SpearIT guided Cyprus from ambition to recognition and helped establish a digital identity ecosystem that will serve citizens, businesses, and government for years to come.
For more information regarding the IDME.cy eID Scheme, visit: https://www.idme.gov.cy/
