The European Commission announced plans on Thursday for a digital identity wallet to allow Europeans to access public and private services via their mobile phone as the COVID-19 pandemic underscored the need for user-friendly online services.
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The move also seeks to counter privacy and data protection concerns related to digital wallets offered by Apple, Alphabet unit Google, Thales and financial institutions.
But eurosceptics in France have lashed out against the proposals, calling for the country to leave the bloc altogether.
Les Patriotes leader, Florian Philippot said: "The European digital identity that the EU is cooking up for us: no thank you!
"No desire to be traced by this big oligarchic thing!
"Let's get out of this hell, quickly! Frexit!"
Generation Frexit leader Charles-Henri Gallois also lamented the proposal by Brussels merely aims at "controlling people".
He argued bilateral agreements between countries would be a safer way to ensure EU citizens are guaranteed use of public services across the bloc.
He told Express.co.uk: "It can look very convenient at first sight but when you study it, you will see that it's liberticide (oppressive) and people control.
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"Only a very few people will use public services in another EU country, but it will allow other countries and big techs to have the personal data of everyone.
"You can have bilateral agreements without these kinds of tools to make people’s life easier.
"EU goes each day to a Chinese-like society."
The digital wallet will allow Europeans to digitally identify themselves when accessing public and private services such as accessing a bank account, applying for a loan, submitting tax declarations and enrolling in a university.
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"The European digital identity will enable us to do in any member state as we do at home without any extra cost and fewer hurdles," EU tech chief Margrethe Vestager said.
"EU citizens not only expect a high level of security but also convenience whether they are dealing with national administrations such as to submit a tax return or to enrol at a European university where they need official identification," EU industry chief Thierry Breton said.
The adoption of an electronic wallet could generate as much as 9.6 billion euros (£8.2 billion) in benefits for the EU and create as many as 27,000 jobs over a five-year period, the EU document said, confirming a Reuters story on June 1.
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By reducing emissions related to public services, the e-wallet could also have a positive environmental impact, the Commission said. The digital identity wallet will not be not obligatory for Europeans.
EU countries have until September 22 to set out the technical architecture, standards and guidelines for best practices for using the digital identity wallet.
Currently, 14 EU countries have national schemes of electronic identity.
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