Open Letter for the preservation of the Electronic Ledger’s provisions in eIDAS 2

On February 9th 2023, the ITRE Committee adopted a version of the eIDAS 2 proposal that no longer contains Section 11 on Electronic Ledgers as a regulated trust service. The intended and necessary technological neutrality of the file seems to have been the rationale for the withdrawal of these essential provisions.

This unfortunate withdrawal neglects that the concept of electronic ledgers is in fact technologically neutral, since it describes a generic category, rather than a concrete implementation. Removing this concept from the regulation would create many downstream problems, where electronic ledgers are now widely used as a key component of trust architectures. 

Through this open letter, the International Association for Trusted Blockchain Applications (INATBA), the EU Digital Identity Wallet Consortium (EWC), the TRACE4EU Consortium, the Digital Credentials for Europe Large Scale Pilot (DC4EU), the European DIGITAL SME Alliance, the European Crowdfunding Network, New Economy Institute, Alastria, the French Federation of Blockchain Professionals (FFPB), IDunion, Association pour le Développement des Actif Numériques (ADAN), Crypto Economy Organisation, Sovrin, Mobility Open Blockchain Initiative (MOBI), Italia4Blockchain, the German Blockchain Association (Bundesblock), the Dutch Blockchain Coalition, Infrachain, Blockchain for Europe, BerChain, European Blockchain Association and many more stakeholders join forces to share their concerns and urge Members of the Parliament to reinstate these provisions to eIDAS 2.

  • Section 11, in its comprehensive wording, does not conflict with the principle of technological neutrality.

The eIDAS 2 regulation needs to be future-proof and able to support the societal and economic developments that have emerged in recent years. Among them is the concept of electronic ledgers that provide an innovative addition to the trust service landscape.

One of the big misunderstandings of electronic ledgers is that they are seen as a technological solution with a specific fixed type of excessive energy-consuming technology implementation. However, electronic ledgers as described in Section 11 represent a technically neutral description of a new trust service characterized by the provision of a sequence of electronic data records which ensure the integrity and the accuracy of their chronological ordering. 

Electronic ledgers can be implemented in various ways and technologies, both on a centralized server or in a decentralized network of nodes, and do not fit in one specific solution. The comprehensive wording adopted in article 3 (53) and in section 11 allows for the qualification of many electronic ledgers implementation.

  • Section 11 allows for the establishment of a needed trust service which is not redundant with existing ones.  

Electronic ledgers are different from electronic signatures, seals or timestamps trust services and would thus remain unregulated if withdrawn from the eIDAS 2 proposal.

The resilient and fault tolerant nature of electronic ledgers, together with their intrinsic properties of accountability and immutability, makes them an appealing technology. Ledgers are suitable for establishing a shared and integrated digital infrastructure across member states because they facilitate dependencies and interactions between the involved member states. Uniquely, ledgers can enable such integration without simultaneously carrying the risks associated with such close dependencies since each member state can continue operating their ledger-based digital infrastructure even without the involvement of other member states. Interdependence is fostered and collaboration facilitated without threatening national independence. 

Electronic ledgers are essential in building European digital infrastructures that are robust against cyberattacks, for the benefit of European enterprises and consumers alike. They are a class of trust services addressing European society demands to strengthen digital trust. Electronic ledgers are at the core of efforts by European innovators to prevent the forgery of digital assets, to prove or claim ownership of digital or tokenized resources, track the supply chain or digitize intellectual property rights.

Across Europe, multiple initiatives already build on top of the concept of electronic ledgers as trust services, such as the environmentally friendly European Blockchain Service Infrastructure or recent prototypical implementations of the Digital Product Passport.  To that extent, it is essential to point out the economic importance of the provisions of Section 11 as a breeding ground for innovation in Europe.

Section 11 provides for the establishment of a highly sophisticated trust service that does not conflict with the principle of technological neutrality and is crucial to the future European digital identity framework. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this open letter and considering it in your future actions and or vision for the digital future of Europe. We remain at your disposal to further these key discussions.

***

  1. Compromise amendments to the Proposal for a regulation amending Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 as regards establishing a framework for a European Digital Identity. Available online here: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meetdocs/2014_2019/plmrep/COMMITTEES/ITRE/DV/2023/02-09/05_CA_eIDAS_EN.pdf

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List of Supporters

  1. Anonymous
  2. Clara Guerra | Co-Chairman | European Blockchain Association
  3. Xavier Charpentier | CEO | Trido
  4. Lars Tungen | CEO | Abaris Consulting AS
  5. Eelco Klaver | CTO | Credenco B.V.
  6. Ivo Garofalo | CEO | VBS – Viken Blockchain Solutions AS
  7. Jon Ramvi | CEO | Symfoni AS
  8. Jérôme Pons | CEO | Music won’t stop
  9. Mickaël Gaborit | Blockchain Shaper | BLOOO
  10. Christoph Heller | CEO | augusta11 consulting GmbH & Co.KG
  11. Anonymous
  12. Erik Rosenschütz
  13. Anonymous
  14. Chris Boesch | Senior Principal, Innovations | Bundesdruckerei
  15. Bojan Čekrlić | COO | CargoX Ltd.
  16. Carsten Neumann | IT Sachverständiger | IT Sachverständigenbüro Neumann
  17. Heinz Peter Kofler
  18. Anonymous
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  20. Tiago Dias | Founder & CEO | Unlockit.io
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  23. Iacopo Sensi | CEO | Metaskills.network
  24. Akli LE COQ | CEO | cryptophilo.io
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  27. Michael Gebert | Chairman | European Blockchain Association
  28. Anonymous
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  30. Bart Kacicki | CEO | Haskell.Team
  31. Thibault Langlois-Berthelot | Founder | KRYPTOSPHERE®
  32. Anonymous
  33. Pierre Boulet | VP for Digital Infrastructure | Université de Lille
  34. Jonas Žalinkevičius | CEO | eDelivery LT
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  46. Nicola Gessa | Researcher | ENEA
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  49. Oliver Schwarz | Founder | metamorphOS
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  52. Peter Gažo | Chemical Engineer
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  57. Philippe A. R. Schaeffer | CEO | Jester Secure iT GmbH
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  61. Jose Faisca | Vice President | Portuguese Blockchain Alliance
  62. Luigi Iannantuoni | System Ingenieur | Sisconet IT Solutions
  63. Kai Meinke | Co-Founder, Member of the Board | deltaDAO AG
  64. Bertrand Peaudecerf | Directeur RID | TESSI
  65. Yiorgos Antoniou | Tech PM | AC Goldman Solutions & Services GSS Ltd 
  66. Anonymous
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  74. Frederic Hannesen | Lead Legal Counsel | Lightcurve Operations GmbH & Co. KG
  75. Thierry Thevenet | CEO | Talao
  76. Hadrien Zerah | President | Nomadic Labs
  77. Massimiliano Nicotra | Lawyer | Qubit Law Firm
  78. Dan Bachenheimer | INATBA Identity Working Group Co-Chairs | INATBA
  79. Frederic Martin | CTO | MYDID
  80. Juan Caballero | Founder | LearningProof UG (Germany)
  81. T. S. Felstead | Director, Lead Consultant | VASP Holdings ehf
  82. Anonymous
  83. Jan Du Caju | Enterprise Architect | KU Leuven
  84. Marlene Marz | Student | Bundesblock
  85. Pedro Costa | Senior Researcher | Hochschule Luzem
  86. Anja Raden | Executive Director of Legal and Regulatory Relations | IOTA Foundation
  87. Silvan Jongerius | Managing Partner | TechGDPR
  88. Wim Pelgrim | CEO | stichting BlockChange.EU
  89. Pepe Betancort | CEO & Founder | Construction Industries Global3ccs
  90. Anonymous
  91. Robert Kopitsch | Secretary General | Blockchain 4 Europe 
  92. Luigi Telesca | CEO | Trakti
  93. Ad Kroft | Co-Founder | Trustfactors
  94. Sebastjan Pirih | CMO | Netis
  95. Tanja Bivic Plankar | President | Blockchain Alliance Europe
  96. Tareq Shaheen | Director of Payment Solutions | Eastnets
  97. Sinead Nealon | Executive Director | European Campus Card Association
  98. Giovanni Marocchi | CEO | Dragonvalues.it
  99. Zeff Sherriff | Product Owner | Jolocom
  100. Nicola De Bello | Founder & CTO | Noder
  101. Nour El Madhoun | Associate Professor | ISEP (Institut supérieur d’électronique de Paris)
  102. Fraser Edwards | CEO | cheqd
  103. Juredieu Xavier | COO | Archipels
  104. Frédéric Riera | RIERA Consulting
  105. Raymundo Suarez | CEO | Blocksite.mx
  106. Anonymous
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  109. Roy Avondet | Partner | NextStep Partners LLC
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  118. Nicolas Caille | CEO | Gravity
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  120. Lorna Goulden | Co-Founder & Board | Twinds Foundation
  121. Ozcan Rémy | Managing Director | Crypto4all
  122. Maximilian Stöckl | Co-Founder & CEO | DOGAMI
  123. Sorin Cristescu | Senior IT Architect | European Commission
  124. Alex Tweeddale | Product Manager | cheqd
  125. Marco Di Francesco
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  127. Denis Avrilionis | Founder & CEO | Compellio S.A.
  128. Michele Marchesi | Professor of Software Engineering (retired), ICT Consultant | University of Cagliari, Flosslab srl
  129. Dieter Emmer
  130. Koen Vingerhoets | Blockchain Evangelist | Fujitsu
  131. Gianpiero Potenza | Freelancer for Web3
  132. Harold Kinet | CEO | BE Blockchain SRL
  133. Samuel Gómez | CTO | Gataca
  134. Emilie Allaert | Head | Luxembourg Blockchain Lab
  135. Anonymous
  136. Enrico Folegani | CTO | Net Service SpA
  137. Esteve Serra | Consultant
  138. Metthew Van Niekerk | Founder & CEO | SettleMint
  139. Sebnem Rusitschka | Chief Activist | Younergy Crypto
  140. Michael Jackson | Concordium AG
  141. Luc Falempin | CEO | Tokeny
  142. Maarten Boender | MD | Sphereon
  143. Wesley Deglise | INNO
  144. Denys Bomauw | Cofounder | WalChain by Digital Wallonia
  145. Shane Deconinck | Research Manager Security & Privacy | Howest University of Applied Sciences
  146. Anonymous
  147. Patrik Maltusch | Enterprise Architect | Aalto University
  148. Nico Wauters | Founder & CEO | T-mining
  149. Irene Hernandez | CEO | Gataca
  150. Anonymous
  151. Juan Luis Gozalo | Product Manager Web3 | OpenCanarias SL
  152. Bruno Schneider Le Saout | Strategic Advisor | Freelancer
  153. Paulo Amaral | Professor | CatolicaLisbon
  154. Adam B | Founder | Decentral
  155. Rhett Oudkerk Pool | CEO | Zaisan
  156. Terezie Holesinska | Business Developer / Producer
  157. Nadia Filali | Head of Blockchain & Cryptoassets Programme | CDD
  158. Anonymous
  159. Anonymous
  160. Anonymous
  161. Matti Taimela | Software Architect | Taimela Consulting Oy
  162. Matthieu Hardy | CEO | Hardy.Digital
  163. Daniel Du Seuil | Convenor European Self Sovereign Identity Framework | European Blockchain Partnership
  164. Anonymous
  165. Christophe Andre Ozcan | CEO | CRYPTO4ALL
  166. Romain Willmann | CTO | Willmann Technologies
  167. Jean-Baptiste Dezard | CEO | Deal ex Machina SAS
  168. Marcos Allende Lopez | Founder & CEO | Blerify Inc. / CTO & COO | LACNet
  169. Erol User | Founder President & CEO | Coinarmy
  170. Célia Couson | SE | Archipels
  171. Anonymous
  172. Thibault Langlois-Berthelot | Founder | KRYPTOSPHERE
  173. Anonymous
  174. Anonymous
  175. Paola Heudebert | Head of Legal and Public Affairs | Archipels
  176. Antonio Gil | Founder & CEO | To Be Blockchain
  177. Marc Durand | CEO & Co-Founder | Kapalt
  178. Oliver Naegele | CEO & Founder | Blockchain HELIX
  179. Roberto García | Associate Professor | Universitat de Lleida
  180. Bara Greplova | Membership Manager, Academic & Governmental Relations | INATBA
  181. Jan Misselwitz | Executive Director Finance & People | IOTA Foundation
  182. Geert Machtelinckx | IT Architect | Decentrics
  183. Paul De Cannière | CEO | Allusion
  184. Carlos Pastor Matut
  185. Steve Lourdessamy | Head of Growth | Archipels
  186. Hervé Bonazzi | CEO | Archipels
  187. Ricardo Simoes | Executive Director | INATBA
  188. Anonymous
  189. Miguel Correia | Professor | Unstituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa
  190. Anonymous
  191. Davide Coletto | CTO | Namirial SPA
  192. Anonymous
  193. Anonymous
  194. Enrico Talin | President | Commercio.network spa
  195. Anonymous
  196. Nicolas Louvet | CEO | COINHOUSE
  197. Kai Wagner | Chief Product Officer | Jolocom