Blockchain, Digital Identity and Personal Data: The Potential of Self-Sovereign Identity for Europe

Hosted by MEP Sorin Moisa (EPP) and OpenForum Europe, this roundtable will move the focus away from the fin-tech applications of Blockchain technology to an application that is receiving increasing attention, and one that holds significant potential in technologically and politically relevant fields: self-sovereign identity (SSI).

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Self-sovereign identity is the next step in the evolution of digital identity management. It provides the user with individual control, security and full portability, by making the individual their own identity provider and storing the record of identity transactions in a distributed ledger. We could thus move beyond the insecure silos of directories, passwords and usernames to improve how the internet works. By extension, the technology has the potential to revolutionise how individuals interact with public administration and business.

After the speakers’ opening statements, Dr. Alea Fairchild, Research Fellow and Director of the Constantia Institute, and OpenForum Academy Fellow, will facilitate a discussion under Chatham House rules between our panelists on the following questions:  Where are we today in terms of the technology and adoption of SSI? What actual examples of SSI application do we have currently? What are the source of reluctance or opposition among business, public authorities and users? What is the current status of the standardisation process? What are the points of friction? Concerns have been raised about the consequences of the GDPR and personal data on the blockchain–what is the actual relationship? How does the development and implementation of SSI relate to the Commission’s efforts with the adoption of eID and eIDAS Regulation and framework?

Speakers

Sorin Moisa MEP EPP, International Trade Committee, Delegation for Relations with the United States of America	Pēteris Zilgalvis Head of Unit, European Commission, Digital Innovation & Blockchain, Co-Chair, FinTech Task Force	Arnaud Le Hors Hyperledger Project, IBM Senior Technical Staff Member, Member of the European Blockchain Observatory and Forum