Poland’s ministry of digital affairs is to introduce an electronic ID card, obligatory for all citizens, the Gazeta Wyborcza daily has reported.

The card with a built-in chip will carry the owner’s personal data in an electronic form and will allow Poles to confirm their identity online.

This is necessary for using the electronic state administration system, but according to the paper, the electronic ID will also be useful at the post office or bank.

Gazeta Wyborcza wrote that EU subsidized the project of introducing the new cards to the tune of PLN 148 million (EUR 34 million), out of the total cost of PLN 342 million.

The daily said Poland is obliged to start issuing the cards by the end of March 2019. The process will start soon and is to be completed by 2028.

According to the paper, citizens of most of European Union countries already use electronic ID cards.