Digital identities: eco-Association and DATEV sign contract with Telekom

• T-Systems delivers ID wallet for Gaia-X Federation Services
• Wallet developed as open-source software - compatible with EUDI wallet
• Strategic cooperation between DATEV and T-Systems to develop an ID wallet for tax consultants

Telekom has acquired further customers in the field of digital identities. T-Systems supplies the ID wallet for Gaia-X Federation Services. These services are the basis and toolbox for setting up and operating a cloud ecosystem, managed by the participants themselves. The customer is the eco-Association of the Internet Industry, on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. T-Systems and Verimi are also developing a proof-of-concept ID wallet for tax consultants on behalf of DATEV. The company has not disclosed the volume and duration of the orders.

Telekom had previously enjoyed success in the healthcare sector with digital identities. In the future, 8.7 million people insured by Barmer will use the digital wallet from T-Systems and Verimi. The joint offering for Barmer had only recently received Gematik approval. It is the first approval of a digital identity solution for the German healthcare sector to date.

T-Systems CEO and member of the Board of Management of Deutsche Telekom AG Adel Al-Saleh says: "The EU wants its citizens to be able to decide for themselves with whom they share data. Digital, secure identities are the key to this. They will enable new digital applications in many industries in the future.  Each of us will benefit from them in our everyday lives. The orders we have won underline our commitment and expertise in this growing business area."

When it comes to exchanging digital ID credentials, users remain in control. Lack of trust continues to be seen as a stumbling block to digitalization in the industry. Secure digital identities for senders and recipients should change this. At the same time, they should eliminate the jumble of different passwords which internet users are confronted with. The need for identity solutions is growing in all areas of social life. Self-sovereign identity (SSI) technology plays a special role here. This technology enables the secure and data-saving exchange of digital ID credentials. It orchestrates the interaction between issuer, holder and verifier. Users thus keep the reins in their own hands.

Telekom is developing its ID solution as open-source software. It will also be compatible with the European digital identity (EUDI wallet). The solution will be available to Gaia-X initiatives as open source at the beginning of next year.

Andreas Weiss, Managing Director of eco-Association, says: "We are pleased to be able to offer, via T-Systems, a high-quality solution for an integrated ID wallet to both private and business customers. The solution is geared to market requirements, with simultaneous compatibility with the upcoming EUDI wallet. And this as a solution for smartphones as well as cloud services."

Dr. Lars Meyer-Pries, Head of Innovation Management at DATEV, explains: "We need one-to-one identification and authentication of people in the consulting process for a large number of use cases for our tax consultants and tax consulting firms. To this end, we are working with T-Systems to design a model for forward-looking authentication, in which we are already anticipating the eID planned by the EU and the needs of the tax consulting profession with a so-called ID wallet."

T-Systems cloud from Germany - operator cannot view data

For Telekom, digital identities are a strategic issue. T-Systems has developed the technical solution for this together with Verimi. All data is encrypted on a secure and sovereign T-Systems cloud in Germany, even during processing. Telekom follows the so-called "Confidential Computing" approach. This means that data cannot be viewed by third parties or operators of the solution. In this way, Deutsche Telekom creates a particularly high level of trust, especially for customers in critical areas and the public sector.

About DATEV eG:
DATEV eG is the third-largest provider of business software in Germany (IDC ranking 2023) and one of the major European IT service providers. Founded in 1966, the cooperative of the tax consulting profession has over 40,000 members. In fiscal year 2022, it generated sales of 1.3 billion euros. With its software, cloud solutions and expertise, the Nuremberg-based company provides the basis for digital collaboration between small and medium-sized businesses and the tax consultants who look after the business management needs of the companies. Through this community, DATEV supports a total of 2.8 million companies, self-employed persons, municipalities, associations and institutions. With almost 8,800 employees, the company accompanies around 585,000 customers as a partner pilot through the digitization of their commercial processes. Data protection, data security and tax compliance have top priority.

About eco
With around 1,000 member companies, eco (www.eco.de) is the leading association of the Internet industry in Europe. Since 1995, eco has played a key role in shaping the Internet, promoting new technologies, creating framework conditions and representing the interests of its members vis-à-vis policymakers and in international bodies. eco has offices in Cologne, Berlin and Brussels. eco's work focuses primarily on promoting an efficient, reliable and trustworthy ecosystem of digital infrastructures and services.
Media contact:
eco - Verband der Internetwirtschaft e.V.
Sidonie Krug
Leiterin Verbandskommunikation/ 
Sprecherin Politische Kommunikation
Mobil: +49 (0) 160 – 96 91 34 93  
E-Mail: sidonie.krug@eco.de

*Background: Gaia-X Federation Services (GXFS)
Shaping the data infrastructure of the future together - secure, open and transparent Innovation through digital sovereignty - that is the goal of Gaia-X. This is achieved by building an ecosystem in which data is made available, collected and shared in a trusted environment, with users always retaining sovereignty over their data. The result is not a standalone cloud, but a federated system that connects many providers and users of data and cloud services.
The Gaia-X Federation Services (GXFS) represent the minimum technical requirements needed to build and operate a cloud-based, self-managed data infrastructure ecosystem. Based on the technical specifications, services are developed using open source code. They are freely available to the Gaia-X community to develop innovative and collaborative services.

About Deutsche Telekom: Deutsche Telekom Group profile