North Macedonia Digital ID and Trust Services Diagnostic

Overview & Synopsis

This diagnostic assesses North Macedonia’s digital identity and trust services ecosystem against international good practices and the European Union’s digital identity framework, with the objective of supporting digital transformation, cross-border interoperability, and alignment with EU requirements ahead of accession. The report evaluates the country’s legal, institutional, and technical readiness across key areas, including digital identity governance, foundational identification systems, digital identity solutions, trust services, cybersecurity, and data protection. It finds that North Macedonia has made significant progress in aligning its legal framework with EU standards and has established strong foundations for the development of a European Digital Identity Framework-compliant digital wallet. The report also identifies remaining gaps in legislation, governance arrangements, cybersecurity, trust services oversight, and technical implementation that must be addressed to achieve full interoperability and mutual recognition. It provides recommendations to support legal harmonization, strengthen institutional capacity, enhance digital identity and trust service infrastructure, and advance the implementation of a secure, interoperable digital identity ecosystem that can support regional integration within the Western Balkans, facilitate future recognition by the EU, and promote inclusive digital and economic development.