Digital Citizen is entering a new phase, with the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy launching an open tender estimated at €9.7 million excluding VAT.
The five-year project will cover upgrades, maintenance and technical support for the application, as well as the integration of the European Digital Identity Wallet, known as the EUDI Wallet.
New project six times larger
The estimated value of the new project is around 6.5 times higher than the €1.5 million agreed for the previous phase.
The Deputy Ministry said the difference reflects the wider scope and five-year duration of the new project.
The aim is to expand the service with more official digital documents and new functions, turning Digital Citizen into a broader tool for everyday transactions with government services and private-sector organisations.
EUDI Wallet expected in 2027
A central part of the project is the EUDI Wallet. According to the Deputy Ministry, the national solution is expected to become available during 2027.
Before its launch, the system will require technical integrations, security and interoperability checks and the necessary certification.
The national electronic identity is also a prerequisite. In Cyprus, this already operates through IDMe.cy.
More documents and services through the app
The upgraded Digital Citizen application is expected to provide users with more services through their mobile phones.
These include:
- Accredited PDF copies of digital documents, featuring QR codes to verify their authenticity and allowing them to be sent electronically to organisations such as banks.
- Electronic consent for sharing specific data with approved third-party organisations.
- The gradual integration of additional official documents and information, including refugee identity cards, disability parking and European disability cards, birth certificates, driving licence penalty points and information on an individual’s property.
- An “Update My Details” service for updating personal and contact information.
- Notifications about matters such as upcoming expiry dates for personal documents.
- The ability to track requests and applications submitted to government services.
Security measures for personal data
The Deputy Ministry said personal data protection and cybersecurity are core requirements of the project and have been incorporated into its design from the outset under a “secure by design” approach.
The project includes vulnerability checks, risk assessments, security and penetration testing, incident response procedures, as well as high-availability and disaster-recovery infrastructure.
The EUDI Wallet will also undergo a European assessment and certification process before entering production.
Government responds to cost concerns
The new tender comes months after an Audit Service report raised concerns about the costing of the previous phase, citing a lack of adequate and documented cost analysis.
Regarding the €1.5 million previously agreed for Cyprus, the Audit Service noted that there had been no cost estimate or detailed costing when the contract was signed.
The Deputy Ministry said the €9.778 million figure is an estimated value for the purposes of the open tender and does not represent the final contract price.
It said a detailed assessment had been carried out covering the project’s scope, technical requirements, deliverables and overall lifecycle.
The amount includes development and integration of the EUDI Wallet, new functions and digital documents, migration to the government G-Cloud, cybersecurity and disaster-recovery infrastructure, five years of maintenance and technical support, a user-support platform, training and knowledge transfer.
Also read: EUDI Wallet brings official documents together in one app
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