That's not the only reason. We mustn't forget the events of September 11, 2001. Since the attack on New York, overall security has been reinforced. Identity management systems are even more important today than they were seven or eight years ago. We must also recognize that the new electronic passport, the e-passport, was created to add... fraud and counterfeiters are nothing new. Since the technology is constantly changing, documentation must be subject to heightened security.
On April 29th, 2008. See this statement in context.