The following is an excerpt from a presentation given by Dr. Dorin Florea at Global Forum/Shaping the Future 2010 conference in Washington, D.C.:

“The use of modern methods of identification, authentication and remote payment via electronic devices is becoming more and more an integral part of our daily life. As technology advances, physical components become smaller, data processing is accelerated, the communication process is faster and the prices of products/services/communications decrease substantially.

Tirgu-Mures mayor Dr. Dorin Florea, left, at Global Forum 2010

The use of Internet and of different electronic communication networks make it possible to replace an increasing number of “in person” activities and classical operations with operations carried out from your personal PC, public information booths or mobile terminals.

The effects of transposing public and private services in electronic version are generally accepted as a means for creating substantial savings both at the level of the private and legal entities and that of the public administration. These effects can even be noted at the level of the national Gross Domestic Product of a country.

The main applications (electronic services) which facilitate savings are the financial-banking payment applications (related to banking cards). The effects of the increase of the number of electronic payments are not limited to the reduction in the number of bureaucratic operations and the fact that processes have become more effective; they also indirectly contribute to the fact that people use more and more bank services and lead to a drastic drop in the underground economy. At present, Romania still registers the highest percent in Europe, 23%, of citizens whose salaries are paid in cash, which stimulates the development of the underground economy that is assessed to represent over 33% from the Gross Domestic Product.”