Smart card vendor Setec has won a contract to supply 20,000 EMV debit and credit cards to Poland's Bre Bank.
Under the agreement, Setec will begin supplying the cards in 2003 for the bank to distribute to its corporate customers. The cards will be equipped with PKI facilities for digital signature authentication during online exchanges with the bank.
Tomasz Sekutowicz, area manager, Setec Central Eastern Europe, says the contract will be a booster in the EMV migration of Polish banks.
"Polish banks are now preparing their EMV migration plans, and 2003 will be the key year for starting concrete projects in Poland," adds Sekutowicz.
Setec says there are almost 15 million bank cards in circulation in Poland, equivalent to almost 50 per cent of the whole Central Eastern Europe and the country has seen the biggest growth in card volumes with an increase of 1200 per cent between 1997 and 2001.