Italian government brings together 30 experts to build national blockchain strategy

Italy’s Ministry of Economic Development has brought together 30 experts in a bid to boost the country’s blockchain strategy, CoinDesk reported.

In September, the ministry had launched a call for applications for the selection of up to 30 members of a group of experts for the drafting of a national strategy on distributed ledger technologies (DLTs) and blockchain.

“Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain are going to shape our lives, the society we live in and the economic and productive approach of our country. We have to choose our side…,” Minister Luigi Di Maio said at the time.

The government has now revealed the names of the experts who have been selected. The list includes Angiolini Giorgio, head of marketing portfolio at a telecoms firm Italtel and also a member of UN INFO’s blockchain group; Giustozzi Lorenzo, President of the BlockchainEdu Association; Monaco Marco, leader of the blockchain competence center at PWC Italy; Pimpinella Martino Maurizio, president of the Italian Association of Paying Services Providers; and a number of executives from blockchain firms, university researchers, lawyers and more.

According to the official release, the first meeting of selected experts will be held in January 2019. Once drafted, the National Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain Strategies will be submitted for public consultation.

“I thank all those who have expressed their availability and I am sure that together with the selected experts we will be able to build Strategies that are crucial for the development of our country in the name of innovation,” Di Maio said.

In February, the European Commission launched the EU Blockchain Observatory and Forum to boost blockchain activities in the region. Later in April, it announced that 22 member countries have signed a declaration on the establishment of a European Blockchain Partnership (EBP).