16 September 2022

News

New Thematic Report

Are you interested in learning about the current state of #blockchain adoption in the European Union?

The EU Blockchain Observatory & Forum has published the most recent report capturing the current state of technological, market and regulatory developments in each of the 27 EU Member States, plus Switzerland and the United Kingdom (UK).

The report provides country-level 'factsheets' summarising the state of affairs in each country.

It's evident from the report that the blockchain's ecosystem growth precedes regulatory action. In other words, regulation is usually introduced as a response to growing demand from the private sector. Cheers to all creators, entrepreneurs, academicians, students, enthusiasts and consultants – who keep building and advancing the European blockchain ecosystem!

Read and download the report here!

New Trend Report

Just published! September's Trends Report focuses on Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) and covers the following issues:

Definitions and examples of CBDCs and how they work.
The competitive landscape of CBDCs.
The global state of CBDCs.
Examples of CBDCs across the globe.
Relevant resources for those interested to explore further.

The report is available for reading and downloading here!

Upcoming EUBOF Reports

The following reports are slated for publication in September.

A thematic report examining the challenges and opportunities of the Metaverse.
A thematic report on transparent and sustainable supply chains.

Upcoming Conferences/Events

SAVE THE DATE: EUBOF EVENT, 20 October 2022, Nicosia - Cyprus

The EU Blockchain Observatory and Forum is pleased to announce its second hybrid event, which will be held on 20 October and hosted at the University of Nicosia, in Nicosia, Cyprus.

Stay tuned for the event agenda and list of esteemed panellists!

More information about the event:

Event location address: UNESCO Amphitheatre / University of Nicosia, 46 Makedonitissis Avenue, Engomi, Nicosia 2417, Cyprus. Get Directions.

Attendance is free of charge but registration is required. The registration form will be published shortly.
Registration deadline: 10/10/2022
General information and updates will be made available on the EUBOF website

WORLD FUTURE VERSE CONFERENCE 2022

The World Future Verse Conference, hosted by Technology Park Ljubljana, is aimed at the brightest and most curious minds of our time. By bringing together leaders and creative visionaries from different industries, fostering their curiosity and gathering them in one space, we hope to ignite the light of innovation in each and every one of the participants.

More than 1 200 participants from around the world are expected. The World Future Verse Conference brings together great thinkers from the tech industry and summons talented content creators from all fields.

At the conference venue, the creators of the programme promise a unique 'Metaverse Theater' that will immerse visitors in the fusion of a virtual open space where they can engage in the development of personal potential, digital skills and learning about the most advanced technologies. They will invite you into a virtual time machine and send you to the near future. Through the presentation of new technologies such as augmented and virtual reality, you will learn the concepts of the metaverse, NFTs and blockchain and discover the best version of yourself by choosing different avatars.

During the conference days, examples of best practices in the use of future technologies in business and industry will also be presented in the Bled Festival Hall. Visitors will have the opportunity to test and develop ideas in the field of metaverse and virtual and augmented reality technologies. Opportunities for support and vouchers for companies and start-ups operating in the metaverse will also be presented: XR and NFT.

Conference programme and more information

For more information about the conference programme, speakers and registration, please visit: https://wfvconf.com/

Democracy4All will take place on 10 and 11 November, both in La Llotja de Mar, Barcelona, and online

The international event Democracy4All (D4A), which has been held annually since 2019, returns to Barcelona for its fourth edition in a hybrid format. Following the previous edition's success using this model, the event will once again offer both an online and on-site experience. D4A is organised by the CBCat (Blockchain Centre of Catalonia), which is part of Barcelona's Chamber of Commerce, and has the support of the Catalan Government.

Democracy4All's orientation makes it a unique event in the world because it focuses on the use of blockchain as an instrument of democratic improvement in terms of social, corporate and individual governance. It offers Catalonia the opportunity to host the most important international conclave for political actors and institutions everywhere, and it contributes to speeding up the dialogue between government bodies and new technologies.

Democracy4All brings together talent, experts and policymakers to share and discuss the latest advances in technology and regulation. The backbone of the event relies on the 12 Principles of Good Democratic Governance set by the Council of Europe. These encapsulate fundamental values defining a common vision of democratic governance in Europe (see the 12 Principles here). Last year's event was attended by top-level dignitaries from the fields of technology and politics such as John McAffee, founder of McAffee, John Denton, Secretary General of the ICC, Helen Köpman, acting Head of Unit Digital Innovation and Blockchain at the European Commission, Toomas Hendrik, former President of Estonia or Jordi Puigneró, Vice President of the Catalan Government. The list of speakers at this year's D4A will be announced shortly by the organisation.

Upcoming Workshops/Webinars

Blockchain for cross-border payments – Connecting the fragmented world – 5 October

Blockchain is said to be a game-changer for cross-border payments, making the entire process simpler, reducing costs and time required for transactions. The event intends to engage the audience on the most essential facts about utilising blockchain for cross-border payments, showcasing some of the latest use cases, and discussing the opportunities and challenges.

Please register for the event here.

Climate Action & Sustainability: Workshop on Blockchain Use Cases, 4 October 2022

EUBOF, in collaboration with the International Association for Trusted Blockchain Applications (INATBA), is co-organising a virtual workshop on Climate Action and Sustainability, aimed at a deep dive into relevant use cases.

Blockchain, in combination with other technologies, can be a powerful tool to support several UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With the help of ecosystem players, this workshop intends to examine the potential for blockchain/DLT to support UN SDGs. The workshop will use poll questions and discussion in order to particularly identify:

a) use cases that are nice to have but do not provide much improvement;

b) when blockchain significantly improves the use case, especially in terms of cost and effectivity, but the use case is still doable with the absence of blockchain/DLT;

c) use cases where you cannot achieve the same result without blockchain/DLT.

Past Events

Using blockchain to mitigate financial crime

This event was organised by INATBA on 18 August. It aimed to discuss how blockchain can turn the tide on financial crime compliance. It also walked through available tools and technologies that can actually help mitigate financial crimes.

Blockchain start-ups, innovation hubs and SMMEs in European countries

On 28 July, a workshop on blockchain start-ups, innovation hubs and SMMEs in European countries was organised by the Governmental Advisory Body of INATBA. The focus was on Blockchain Policies & Innovation Ecosystems, which aimed to identify the needs of policymakers (with a focus on Africa) in the development of national blockchain policies for providing an enabling environment for the growth of local innovation ecosystems, as well as providing an appropriate regulatory framework ensuring that citizens enjoy data protection and privacy.

September 2022 Newsletter