Project Purpose
Blockchain is a relatively ne=
w technology; The first concept paper was published in 2008 by Satoshi Naka=
moto for use in developing crypto-currencies (a crypto currency exits only =
on the net and has no government backing) and the proposal for smart contra=
cts based on Blockchain was made in 2013 by Vitalik Buterin. Today, there a=
re many different Blockchains and variations of Blockchain technology. In a=
ddition, there is a large amount of ongoing research on how to further, dev=
elop and improve the ability of this technology to be used for various purp=
oses. As a result, it is reasonable to expect that even more Blockchain var=
iations will come into existence during the coming years. Some Blockchain a=
nd blockchain-based technologies are called =E2=80=9CDistributed Ledgers" (=
DL). There are also forms of Blockchain that are public/open networks and o=
thers that are private/permissioned networks. For the purposes of this proj=
ect, unless otherwise indicated, references to "Blockchains" are considered=
to cover "Distributed Ledgers" as well as both public and private network =
versions. Blockchains are based on an innovative use of cryptography and ha=
ve attracted a lot of attention due to their characteristics which reduce t=
he need for trusted third parties and intermediaries. These characteristics=
include the: - Creation of data records that are permanent, i.e. cannot be=
changed or deleted - Ability to identify the time and origin of every entr=
y in the Blockchain - Access by all participants to all data in the Blockch=
ain - Guaranteed implementation of smart contracts (programmes) that automa=
tically execute once a set of agreed conditions are met As one result of Bl=
ockchain having been originally used for crypto-currencies, the majority of=
the original research into the use of Blockchain came from the finance ind=
ustry. This has changed during the last two years and an increasing amount =
of research and an increasing number of trial implementations have been for=
supply-chain, trade and business processes. In addition, during the first =
quarter of 2017 large companies, such as IBM, have begun to announce commer=
cial business process and trade-related products based on Blockchain techno=
logy. Blockchain technology has an immense potential for facilitating suppl=
y-chain and trade processes. The purpose of this project is to look at this=
technology in the context of UN/CEFACT's mandates in order to provide inpu=
t to the Bureau, Programme Development Areas and Domains on: 1) Possible fu=
ture work and a possible common approach to Blockchain-related projects 2) =
Blockchain developers as a potential new user group for UN/CEFACT standards=