Mercosur Approves Cross-Border Digital ID Agreement

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The South American trade bloc Mercosur has approved an agreement enabling the cross-border recognition of digital identities, paving the way for citizens and businesses to access services across member countries without traveling or presenting paper documents.

Signed during the 68th Mercosur Summit in Asunción, Paraguay, the agreement covers Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Once ratified by each country’s legislature, electronic identification and authentication methods issued in one participating state will carry legal validity in the others.

The framework could allow citizens of these countries to complete government procedures or use digital public services in another country with their national digital ID. Businesses are also expected to benefit from fewer administrative barriers.

The agreement establishes common requirements covering authentication, validation, security, and personal data protection. National authorities will cooperate to maintain interoperability and update the framework to adapt to changing technology and security risks.

The pact builds on the Mercosur Digital Citizen Program, which was initially implemented between Brazil and Uruguay. The initiative has received support from the Inter-American Development Bank and the GEALC Network, which promotes digital government cooperation across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Work on the agreement began under Paraguay’s pro tempore presidency in 2024 and was finalized by Mercosur’s Digital Agenda Group in June 2026. Its approval formed part of an agenda of digital transformation at the summit, alongside measures concerning e-commerce, digital connectivity, and border management.