A Manifesto for Blockchain – Embracing its potential in the European Union

On November 9^th, members of the BlockStand consortium participated in the ‘Blockchain for Industry’ hybrid conference, organized by the European Commission. In this context, the ‘Manifesto for Blockchain‘ was presented and officially released.

The manifesto was a product of the collaborative work that involved leading blockchain advocacy groups in the EU, including the European Blockchain Association e.V., the European Crypto Initiative, and Blockchain for Europe. Importantly, the specific timing of releasing this manifesto is crucial, considering the upcoming European elections and the need to improve our political and technical capability to address the current and potential global challenges.

This manifesto aims to leverage blockchain technology to the greatest possible extent for the benefit of everyone, based on shared values of decentralization, privacy, security, transparency, sustainability, and legal/regulatory compliance. One of the key proposals is for the EU to enhance its focus on harmonizing policies and services, promoting global and internal standardization among European states and bodies. This approach will enable the EU to protect the holistic well-being of every individual while safeguarding human rights and freedoms for future generations. Lastly, fully realizing the potential of blockchain requires allocating dedicated funds to develop blockchain applications for the real economy, engaging closely with industry participants, including Web3-native companies, advancing educational initiatives to increase literacy around these technologies, and promoting transparent dialogue and knowledge-sharing to dispel misconceptions.

Overall, the Conference covered the following three main topics:

• Blockchain as a game changer for the digital and green transitions of industrial ecosystems;
• Entrepreneurial cooperation in decentralised digital spaces;
• Blockchain-based solutions to ensure safe, ethical and green supply chains.

The discussion further centred around the Blockchain priorities and benefits for the European economy in the next 5 years and the possible blockchain-based solutions to ensure safe, ethical, and green supply chains.

For more details about the panels and keynote speeches, please check the agenda.