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I do know that an EEA national needs only their passport to live and reside in an other EEA country, but do all EEA countries issue any piece of ID upon request of the interested EEA national?

For istance I'm talking about these cases.

France

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F16003%23:~:text%3DSi%2520vous%2520%25C3%25AAtes%2520Europ%25C3%25A9en%2520et,%27une%2520assurance%2520maladie%252Fmaternit%25C3%25A9.&ved=2ahUKEwi_hK3j_Yr1AhWR-KQKHeWyCkAQFnoECAQQBQ&usg=AOvVaw3CwwzwCF6bKmcSjZLKaTli

Belgium

http://www.ixelles.be/site/250-Document-attestant-de-la-permanence-du-sejour-carte-E+

http://www.ixelles.be/site/686-Attestation-d-enregistrement-carte-E

At the moment I'm finding nothing about other countries, but wouldn't it be uncomfortable to be bound to use one piece of ID of another country in order to deal with authorities in a given country? Especially if the ID card is lost and the identifiee has to go to the consultate which might be far from him.

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  • This card is not primarily issued to serve as an ID, its official purpose is documenting your residence rights.
    – Relaxed
    Feb 19, 2022 at 9:35

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wouldn't it be uncomfortable to be bound to use one piece of ID of another country in order to deal with authorities in a given country?

People do this every day with passports. In the context of the EU and EEA, the law specifies that national ID cards may be used as well.

The directive does specify that a "registration certificate" be offered, so every country should have these available. Whether they are in the form of a photo ID card in every case, however, I do not know.

The relevant article of the directive:

Article 8

Administrative formalities for Union citizens

  1. Without prejudice to Article 5(5), for periods of residence longer than three months, the host Member State may require Union citizens to register with the relevant authorities.

  2. The deadline for registration may not be less than three months from the date of arrival. A registration certificate shall be issued immediately, stating the name and address of the person registering and the date of the registration. Failure to comply with the registration requirement may render the person concerned liable to proportionate and non-discriminatory sanctions.

  3. For the registration certificate to be issued, Member States may only require that

... [various limitations on documentary evidence depending on the basis for the right of residence]

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  • I do know that passports are used, but to carry it everyday or to carry a national ID with the fear of losing it and go 100 miles away to apply for a new one seems uncomfortable tbh.
    – abdul
    Dec 30, 2021 at 8:46
  • As far as I know countries might differ in that regard. Here in Italy EU citizens willing to take an Italian piece of ID do not get a residence permit but an Italian ID card (specifying their nationality), France and Belgium give residence permits.
    – abdul
    Dec 30, 2021 at 8:55
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    @abdul whether the document is known as an "id card" or something else, it serves the purpose of the registration certificate. One thing it isn't called, however, is "residence permit," because that implies that the permission to reside is granted through the document, which isn't the case. That's why Belgium, for example, calls it a "document attestant de la permanence du séjour" or an "attestation d'enregistrement."
    – phoog
    Dec 30, 2021 at 9:44
  • Here in Italy they do issue ID cards to EU foreigners, but they do specify the nationality. It might be true that they serve to certify the registration yes. As for France, there's "titre de séjour pour ressortissants EU/EEA/CH". But independently of the name, which some official websites can use wrongly, my question pertains whether all EU countries issue to EU non-nationals in their own soil these cards.
    – abdul
    Dec 30, 2021 at 9:52
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    @abdul the directive requires the issue of a "registration certificate." I'll add the relevant article. (The UK, when it was a member, did not require registration, but it did offer a certificate for those who chose to register; I don't know whether any current members approach the question similarly.)
    – phoog
    Dec 30, 2021 at 10:05

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