> According to a 1996 publication by Privacy International, around 100 countries had enacted laws making identity cards compulsory.[1] In these countries, the card must be shown on demand by authorised personnel under specified circumstances. In some countries alternative proof of identity, such as a driving licence is acceptable. Privacy International said that "virtually no common law country has a card".[1]

> The term "compulsory" may have different meanings and implications in different countries. Possession of a card may only become compulsory at a certain age. There may be a penalty for not carrying a card or other legally valid identification (a passport, for foreigners); in some cases a person may be detained until identity is proven. This way the police can identify fugitives

On the list are 14 out of 28 EU countries if my count is correct. And a few more European non-EU countries.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_identity_ca...

By that list, it does not sound like many EU countries require you to keep it with you with threat of penalty. Certainly very far from "most". Netherlands sounds like a strange exception to the rule with otherwise liberal society. Serbia is a relatively recent civil war zone so kind of understandable.

NL is shameful in this respect. What's even worse is that the general public totally bought the line that this would reduce crime. Instead, people are now somewhat routinely booked for not being able to identify themselves even though that's the only thing they are doing wrong at that moment.