Cărțile electronice de identitate: România a ratat ținta

The electronic identity card (CEI) was available for request starting March 20, 2025, but only 2.3 million Romanians have opted for it, leading to a loss of over 21 million euros from PNRR funding. The CEI is free until August 2026, after which the government must find alternative funding. The highest preference for traditional ID cards is in Tulcea, Argeș, Ialomița, and Buzău. The project began in Cluj in 2021, but national rollout started later than planned. Issues have arisen with institutions lacking equipment to read the new cards, prompting legislative proposals for direct data verification.