Initiated by the “UnConference Blockchain Europe” in April 2021, a multi-national “Working Group Customs and Blockchain” came together. The current 24 members deal with the future application possibilities of blockchain technology in digital customs processing and its medium-term realization. The topic of customs is very complex and processes are currently still heavily paper-based. In addition, further complex issues have been added since Brexit at the latest, which is why it is necessary to discuss the topic of customs across countries and together with companies, associations and authorities.
“Our goal is joint, end-to-end digital customs processing,” explains Tobias Jornitz from the Blockchain Europe project. As founder of the Working Group Customs and Blockchain, he wants to create a forum for customs experts to shape the future together in the spirit of open innovation. “The working group contributes to the networking of foreign trade and blockchain professionals, enables an exchange on current and future challenges and creates a European vision for customs clearance.”
To this end, the Customs and Blockchain Working Group meets quarterly and gives its members space to openly and proactively share thoughts, discuss ideas and elaborate on topics with experts from other industries. After an initial identification of common “pain points” and discussion of possible solutions using blockchain technology, so-called “focus groups” are now also emerging – small groups that dedicate themselves to a specific issue between official meetings in order to subsequently present their elaborations to the larger group. In this way, the Working Group is taking advantage of its special position at the interface between foreign trade and blockchain technology.
The current 24 members include 17 companies (two from the UK), academic institutions and government agencies. The Working Group is open to other interested parties. Expressions of interest are available via the Blockchain Europe website. The next regular meeting will be held in January 2022.
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