- Consumer-Centric Blockchain Standards: A Holistic Approach to DLT Identity and Security Protocol
Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies
The impact of the standardisation activity on European SMEs is achieved by aligning international standards with European directives, like GDPR, helping SMEs gain clarity and confidence in navigating regulatory landscapes, fostering an environment conducive to innovation and compliance.
Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) ensures industry activities are conducted responsibly and ethically. Secondly, this does not only strengthen Europe's economic leadership in the ICT sector, but also fosters job creation and sustainable growth. Thirdly, by prioritising consumer protection, the standardisation activity ensures that the rights and interests of European consumers are upheld as blockchain and DLT reshape industries
- New standard development
- Enhancing AI Standards for Consumer Protection and Compliance
Artificial Intelligence
These standardisation efforts foster essentially the risk management of SMEs enabling to Streamline AI compliance and integration, reducing regulatory burdens for SMEs. These also improve cybersecurity; while developing robust standards to protect SMEs from AI vulnerabilities. Finally these exchange competitiveness as SMEs’ market presence is increased through trustworthy AI systems.
Consumer Protection is improved with these standards, as they advance consumer rights and safety in AI, building public trust. Also, social Well-being is improved by promoting AI applications in critical sectors like healthcare, enhancing societal benefits. This activity also supports ethical AI development, aligning with European values for balanced technological progress. These contributions position Europe at the forefront of responsible AI development, benefiting both the economy and society.
- New standard development
- Project Leader - Guidelines on processing PII using blockchain and distributed ledger technology
Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies
Yes, my contribution significantly impacts European SMEs by providing clear, practical guidance on how to process personal data using blockchain and DLT in compliance with the GDPR. SMEs often lack the legal and technical resources to navigate complex regulatory frameworks. The standard developed through CEN/CENELEC JTC 19 WG3 will offer accessible best practices, reducing legal uncertainty and lowering barriers to innovation. This enables SMEs to adopt blockchain solutions more confidently, competitively, and responsibly within the European market.
My work directly supports the protection of fundamental rights, especially privacy and data protection, in the context of emerging blockchain and DLT technologies. By initiating the standard on Guidelines on processing PII using blockchain and DLT, I contribute to reducing legal uncertainty, enabling safer adoption of these technologies. This empowers citizens by ensuring their personal data is handled responsibly and in compliance with GDPR, while fostering trust and transparency in digital systems. Ultimately, this promotes responsible innovation and strengthens democratic values in the digital age.
- New standard development
- Project Leader for "Digital Currencies - Vocabulary" in ISO TC68
FinTech & RegTech Standardisation
For SMEs, a harmonised digital currency vocabulary reduces compliance costs and uncertainty when navigating regulations like MiCA and DORA. It lowers barriers to entry by providing a shared reference for financial, legal, and technical terms, enabling smaller companies and fintechs to innovate confidently and scale solutions across the Digital Single Market.
By developing a harmonised vocabulary for digital currencies, it strengthens legal certainty and consumer protection, allowing citizens and businesses to engage confidently with technologies such as CBDCs, stablecoins, and tokenised assets. Clear definitions reduce misunderstanding and misinformation, supporting informed participation in digital markets. It also enhances trust in digital public infrastructures by enabling regulators, financial institutions, and public administrations to use a shared language. This improves transparency in policymaking and aligns digital finance with Europe’s values of privacy, fairness, and accountability. Finally, today’s Web3 ecosystem and traditional financial system speak fundamentally different languages, limiting cooperation and interoperability. This project builds the common language needed for both ecosystems to grow together and operate seamlessly, fostering a unified, transparent, and future-ready European digital economy.
- New standard development
- Continuing Convenorship of CEN JTC19 WG3 on PII in for Blockchain and DLT
- Project Leader for "Digital Currencies - Vocabulary" in ISO TC68
- Defending consumer and SME interests in voting Phase of AI Act-related CEN JTC21 WG2 standards
Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies
The standards developed under CEN/CENELEC JTC21 will become the primary mechanism for demonstrating compliance with the EU AI Act and are therefore expected to have a lasting impact on the European AI ecosystem. By ensuring that these standards remain firmly aligned with the AI Act's objectives, they will help establish a harmonised European framework that promotes trustworthy, human-centric AI while safeguarding health, safety, and fundamental rights.
For European SMEs, clear and legally robust standards reduce regulatory uncertainty and provide practical guidance for implementing AI systems that comply with the AI Act. This lowers compliance costs, facilitates market access through the presumption of conformity, and creates a level playing field where innovation is not disadvantaged by unclear or inconsistent requirements.
From a societal perspective, preserving a risk management approach that prioritises risks to affected persons rather than organisational interests strengthens public trust in AI technologies and supports the responsible deployment of AI across sectors. Robust conformity assessment and quality management requirements also contribute to greater transparency, accountability, and legal certainty for providers, users, market surveillance authorities, and notified bodies.
In the longer term, this work strengthens Europe's strategic leadership in trustworthy AI by ensuring that harmonised standards reflect European values and policy objectives while remaining technically practical and internationally compatible. This contributes to a competitive European AI market in which innovation, consumer protection, and fundamental rights are mutually reinforcing rather than conflicting objectives.
- New standard development
- Revision of existing work items
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In Open Call 1, I received support to 3 different fellowships focusing on targeted standardisation activities;
Fellowship 2029-01-1408 'Continuing Convenorship of CEN JTC19 WG3 on PII in for Blockchain and DLT' was dedicated to pursuing the ongoing standardisation projects within the group.
Fellowship 2029-01-1559 'Project Leader for "Digital Currencies - Vocabulary" in ISO TC68' contributed to developping a new standard "ISO/AWI 24982 – Digital Currencies — Vocabulary".
Fellowship 2029-01-1600 'Defending consumer and SME interests in voting Phase of AI Act-related CEN JTC21 WG2 standards' contributed to three standardisation projects: prEN 18228 – AI Risk Management, prEN 18286 – AI Quality Management System (QMS), and prEN 18285 – AI Conformity Assessment.
Value of Research
With this fellowship, I significantly contribute to the ICT Standards landscape by addressing the lack of standardised guidelines for processing Personal Identifiable Information (PII) in blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) systems. Approving the New Work Item Proposal (NWIP) for “Guidelines on processing PII using blockchain and DLT” establishes a crucial foundation for privacy-preserving, GDPR-compliant blockchain applications.
Role: convenor
Title & Organisation Name: Consumer Representative, DIN Verbraucherrat e.V.
Country: Germany
