Catalonia will use blockchain technology to improve digital services in its public administration
Many countries are implementing blockchain technology at the government level. They seek to achieve a new model of “digital organization”. Even the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) will now use blockchain for the traceability of donations.
The Government of Catalonia revealed a plan for the implementation of blockchain technology in its public administrative activity, according to the official press release of July 24th. The Generalitat of Catalunya, an official governmental institution of the Spanish autonomous community of Catalonia, will promote blockchain technology
“with the aim of improving digital services to the public sector and promoting the potential of this technology among the Administration, companies and citizens”.
According to sources, the Digital Policies Department of Catalonia will develop a plan called “SmartCat” to incorporate blockchain technology in all public administration activities by the end of December, 2018. The strategy of the Department of Digital Policies will form an interdepartmental working group, in order to promote the
“knowledge, training and creation of talent in the field of blockchain as well as identify the areas of maximum potential of technology and economic value”.
Spain has adopted the use of blockchain technologies in many industries. Last May, Barcelona Tech City, a private non-profit association, announced the creation of a specialized space for the development of blockchain technology, and the Bank of Santander became the first global company to use blockchain technology for investors’ voting.
The Secretariat of Telecommunications and Information Society, and the Government of Catalonia, launched their plan in 2014. The Catalan government has promoted international events, such as the Blockchain Solutions World contest. The second edition will take place in October of this year. It also launched several development projects in different areas of the administration.
Jordi Puigneró, adviser of Digital Policies and Public Administration of Catalonia, told La Vanguardia, a Spanish newspaper, that the aim is to achieve a new model of digital governance with distributed accounting technology.
“Estonia and Singapore also have administration projects. While Sweden is transforming the property registry, in Australia electronic voting is tested, digital identity is introduced in Japan and The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) will use it for the traceability of donations,”
said the adviser.
Worldwide, more than 1,600 reliable and quotable cryptocurrencies exist in the main exchange houses and crypto-active markets. Spain and Latin America are two potential growing markets in terms of crypto-assets and cryptocurrencies.
by María Victoria Rodríguez
