NBP takes over administration of e-signature following initial failures

The NBP is one of Centrast's shareholders, together with, among others, the Polish Banks' Union (ZBP) and the National Clearing House Co. (KIR). The central bank says that it will be able to provide these services at a lower cost than Centrast, which lost around zł.7.3 million last year and zł.8 million in 2003. Zbigniew Klepacki, until yesterday Centrast's president, and now its receiver, says that the losses are the result of a low level of institutional approval for e-signatures. Although the law introducing them came into effect two years ago, they are still not accepted by public offices and banks. (Puls Biznesu, p. 10) T.J.