In a world that has been unsettled for years, with the pandemic followed by conflict and rising economic and social instability, Europe faces a pivotal moment. Against this backdrop and the shift in production models driven by digitalization, there is a push to demonstrate a strong, resilient position. This was a key takeaway shared yesterday at the Digital Zone facilities during the 33rd Ciriec International Congress on Public Economics, Cooperatives and Social Economy, set to take place in Valencia from 13 to 15 June.
Among the attendees was Carmen Pastor, a professor of Commercial Law at the University of Alicante. In her remarks, Pastor highlighted the importance of public-private collaboration in the blockchain arena as a strategic response to the challenges anticipated in a post-war, post-pandemic era. “Since January 2020, it has become clear that life is not guaranteed forever, and we are on a roller coaster where fundamental rights, critical infrastructure, and energy supply can be disrupted at any moment,” she noted backstage in her intervention.
Breaking the blockchain
The expert described the current climate as one of persistent uncertainty, where flexible organizational structures increasingly rely on blockchain networks. She stressed that these networks must be 100% European to counter the technological dominance of two global giants, the United States and Asia. “It is essential that they remain entirely European, with design, servers and data hosted on European soil. While this may sound worrisome, the key is a decentralized technology with robust tools,” she explained during her address.
Pastor leads the Blockchain Applied to Public Administrations and Companies (BAES) Group at the University of Alicante. The group is pursuing the establishment of a comprehensive European blockchain standard through Digital Zone. She argues that today’s technology, augmented by Artificial Intelligence and Big Data, signals a transition that goes beyond a mere industrial revolution and points toward a civilizational shift.
Partnership
Before Pastor took the stage, Rafa Climent, Minister of Sustainable Economy, Productive Sectors, Trade and Labour, spoke about collaboration and enabling technologies linked to FUE blockchain projects supported by UA’s BAES Group. He stated that these tools are meant to bring greater transparency to the processes they touch. The aim is to foster an economy guided by human-centered values, supporting fairer income distribution and offering solutions to twenty-first-century challenges such as aging, migration, digital exclusion, and climate change.
Climent added that the social economy and the cooperative sector have long argued that work efficiency rests on solidarity, shared responsibility, and social cohesion. He underscored that the Generalitat’s commitment also embraces an economic model that is more participatory and socially responsible.
Ana Berenguer, General Manager for Analysis and Public Policy, also spoke during the congress preparations for Valencia in mid-June. She remarked that technology enables the creation of a networked country with numerous interconnected points capable of addressing regional imbalances and fostering more balanced development.