The Russian Ministry for Economic Development adopted earlier this month its final schedule for the launch of its project for universal electronic cards for all Russians in 2012.
In accordance with a Federal law adopted in July, 2010, these universal electronic cards are to be provided to all Russian citizens. The cards will be configured to help individuals access e-government services and will replace virtually all existing card ID documents, from student ID cards to driving licenses to state insurance cards. Russian president Dmitry Medvedev recently called them “a second or even primary, ID card.”
Since August, 2010, a designated organization, the Universal Electronic Card Company (UECC), has been contracted to develop the project under the authority of the Ministry for Economic Development. The company is co-owned by three Russian banks: the national savings bank Sberbank (34%), Uralsib (33%), and AkBars (33%).
According to the Ministry’s plans, the universal electronic card project will be integrated in seven parts and be completed before July 2012. Initial phases of the project will include the preparation of the legal, administrative and technical conditions. Next will come the production of the cards using Russian made chips and the introduction of the program to relevant administrative bodies. The program will require infrastructural modifications in the banking sphere and regional deployment as well as marketing and educational measures and introduction to test groups.
The project stands to be of interest to IT service and solution providers in particular. Firms providing such services have been invited to register on the official UECC website to get acquainted with the company’s needs. The project could also offer lucrative opportunities for companies targeting Russia’s large consumer market – the UECC aims at providing “tens of millions of people” with “the largest possible number of useful, convenient and secure services,” at the regional or national levels through the introduction of this universal electronic card.
Source: Ministry for Economic Development, UECC
