News

"Universal electronic card" for Russians postponed

January 30, 2012

Russia's all-purpose personal card demonstrated by President Dmitry Medvedev in the spring of last year will not be ready for implementation this month as planned. The card's developers have moved the target release date to January 2013, said a story in the Moscow Times.

The universal electronic card is supposed to serve as a combination electronic ID, driver's license, car insurance certificate, ATM card and migration document, among other possible functions. The Russian government estimates that it will cost up to 150 billion rubles to 170 billion rubles ($5.2 billion to $5.6 billion) to issue the card to every citizen.

Sitronics, the high-tech company involved in designing and making the cards, declined to comment on the project's status. However a source at Sitronics told The Moscow Times that the cards are not ready and the system does not work. The government's explanation is that the delay is related to issues around interagency cooperation and underdeveloped infrastructure in some regions.

The Russian government expects to set up application sites at post offices, banks and commercial centers, among other locations. The current distribution plan is to give cards to all who apply for them in 2013. The following year, cards will be issued to all citizens, unless a person makes a written statement of refusal.

The card's official website claims that the universal electronic card will be safe, since it does not contain the cardholder's information per se. This data will be stored in government databases as it is now. However, the article said, such classified databases can be purchased freely online or at electronics markets.

Read more about EMV.