European Blockchain Partnership

In October 2017, the European Council asked the European Commission to present a European approach to blockchain and invited the Commission to put forward initiatives for strengthening the framework conditions that enable the EU to explore new markets and to reaffirm the leading role of its industry.

Blockchain and distributed ledger technologies are seen as particularly promising in ensuring more security, integrity and transparency when delivering services, enforcing regulations and ensuring efficiency in legal compliance. In order to harness the many opportunities of blockchain and avoid a fragmented approach, the signatories of this declaration agree to cooperate to establish a European Blockchain Partnership with a view to developing a blockchain infrastructure that can enhance value-based, trusted, user-centric digital services across borders within the Digital Single Market.

“In the future, all public services will use blockchain technology. Blockchain is a great opportunity for Europe and the Member States to rethink their information systems, to promote user trust and the protection of personal data, to help create new business opportunities and to establish new areas of leadership, benefiting citizens, public services and companies. The Partnership launched today enables Member States to work together with the European Commission to turn the enormous potential of blockchain technology into better services for citizens,” said Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society. 

The European Commission already launched the EU Blockchain Observatory and Forum in February 2018 and will invest some € 300 million in projects supporting the use of blockchain in a number of technical and societal areas through its programme Horizon 2020.

Member States have been very active in supporting blockchain ecosystems, beginning experiments and announcing actions at the government level. The private sector is also actively pioneering blockchain to improve efficiency, enhance trust and promote growth.

The Blockchain partnership declaration was already signed by 27 EU Member States:  Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK, Greece, Romania, Denmark, Cyprus, Italy and Norway.

The European Commission encourages other countries from the EU and the European Economic Area to join the blockchain partnership.

Meet and share your experience with professionals engaged in harnessing the potential of Blockchain for international development at the first Blockchain for Development Forum to unfold in Southeastern Europe. The event is scheduled for November 7th, 2018, and is due to take place at Opera Plaza Hotel in Cluj, Romania.

Original source: European Commission
Published on 10 April 2018