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The European Commission has unveiled a second version of the EU’s age verification app blueprint, as debates continue across the bloc over how to prevent children from accessing social media platforms.
Originally introduced in July 2025 as a “white label” prototype, the app was designed to work seamlessly with upcoming EU Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallets. The blueprint serves as a foundation that EU member states and private sector developers can adapt to create their own local versions of an age verification system.
The latest version introduces several new features, including the use of passports and national ID cards—in addition to electronic IDs (eIDs)—as onboarding methods to generate proof of age. It also incorporates support for the Digital Credentials API, a system designed to streamline interactions among users, service providers, and credential issuers.
According to the European Commission, the blueprint’s purpose is to “support the implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA)” and ensure stronger protections for minors online. The app allows users to prove they are over 18 when attempting to access restricted content, such as adult websites, without revealing personal details like their full birthdate or identity.
The project is being developed by the T-Scy consortium, a partnership between Scytales AB (Sweden) and T-Systems International GmbH (Germany), which also manages stakeholder engagement across the EU.
The blueprint is already undergoing trials in several countries, including Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, and Spain, which are building their own national age verification apps based on the EU model. By the end of 2025, the Commission expects the blueprint to integrate zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) technology, which would enable verification of a user’s age without exposing any private data.
However, despite this progress, widespread adoption remains uncertain, as not all EU members are on board.
Estonia and Belgium Push Back
Two member states—Estonia and Belgium—have refused to sign the Jutland Declaration, a ministerial pledge advocating for the adoption of a digital age of majority across the EU.
The declaration calls for privacy-conscious age verification mechanisms on social media and other digital platforms to “mitigate the negative impact of illegal and inappropriate content, harmful commercial practices, addictive or manipulative design, and excessive data collection, particularly affecting minors.” It also suggests introducing a formal “digital legal age.”
Initiated by Denmark, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council, the declaration has been signed by 25 other member states, according to The Brussels Times. Denmark has made child online safety one of its top priorities during its six-month term.
