Financial Services, Internet, Latvia, Legislation, Technology

LETA was told at the State Audit Office that maintaining the electronic identification cards cost EUR 847,000 a year, but the system is not being used very widely as there are other, more convenient ways to access electronic services.

The audit has found that the investments made so far in the electronic ID card system are not paying off, although the service was supposed to allow holders of the electronic ID cards to use them as a tool for authentication and creation of e-signatures in communication with state and municipal authorities. This goal, however, was never attained, as only 2% of ID card holders have used the card’s e-signature function, and only 0.5% of the 80 million e-signatures, included in the cards, have been used over the past four years.

The state auditors believe that it does not make economic sense to keep developing the electronic ID card system, investing another EUR 9.5 million in the system in following years. Before concluding a new agreement, it would be necessary to a detailed analysis and take conceptual decisions about the system’s future, as well as to think about ensuring a broader use of the electronic ID cards, the auditors said.