To carry out the work for the first phase of the EU Blockchain Observatory and Forum, DG CONNECT had partnered with ConsenSys, a globally leading blockchain venture studio with a strong European presence, as well as such prominent blockchain academic institutions as the University of Southampton, the Knowledge Media Institute at the Open University, University College London, and the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences. This partnership ended in May 2020 when a new consortium led by INTRASOFT International took the lead in the EU Blockchain Observatory and Forum activities.
INTRASOFT International is leading the EUBOF consortium together with the University of Nicosia and Greece’s National Centre for Research and Technological Development (CERTH). Sub-contractors include technology leaders, top universities, as well as research organisations. With solid expertise on the global blockchain ecosystem, each member of the consortium brings a unique set of strengths and all have demonstrated their strong commitment on blockchain advancements.
The new version of the Observatory and Forum will not use specific thematic Working Groups. The plan is to establish an Expert Panel, inviting experts from Europe and beyond, who represent high-level of knowledge and expertise on diverse subjects related to the blockchain ecosystem such as (but not limited to):
- transaction capacities, validation protocols, smart contracts, decentralised storage;
- cybersecurity and cryptography development;
- interoperability and standardisation;
- scalability and integration with legacy systems;
- organisational and governance aspects of blockchain;
- tokenisation;
- regulatory and legal aspects;
- data protection and data management.
The Observatory and Forum also actively solicits input and exchange of views with non-EU-based entrepreneurs, researchers and professionals who contribute on an ad hoc basis, and welcomes views and opinion from the public through the @EUBlockchain Community online platform.