EBSI (European Blockchain Services Infrastructure)

The European Blockchain Services Infrastructure (EBSI) is an EU-led blockchain network developed by the European Commission and the European Blockchain Partnership. Its goal is to provide a decentralized, secure infrastructure for cross-border digital public services in Europe, enabling trusted verification, data sharing, and applications like trusted credentials, document notarization, and VAT tracking for governments, businesses, and citizens while complying with EU regulations.

Architecture and Governance

EBSI operates as a permissioned blockchain network with nodes operated by EU member states, ensuring sovereignty and regulatory compliance. The network uses a consensus mechanism designed for public sector use cases, balancing decentralization with performance and regulatory requirements including GDPR compliance and data minimization principles.

The European Blockchain Partnership, established in 2018, governs EBSI development and coordinates member state participation. Each participating country can operate validator nodes, with network governance distributed across member states to prevent single-point control while maintaining operational efficiency for cross-border services.

Core Use Cases

Trusted Credentials: EBSI provides the technical infrastructure for eIDAS 2.0 digital identity, enabling the European Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI Wallet) to issue, store, and verify credentials like diplomas, professional licenses, and identity documents across borders. Zero-knowledge proofs allow selective disclosure, where users prove specific attributes without revealing underlying data.

Document Notarization: Organizations can anchor document hashes on EBSI to create tamper-proof timestamps and proof of existence. This enables cross-border verification of contracts, certificates, and official documents without requiring centralized authentication authorities in each jurisdiction.

VAT and Tax Compliance: EBSI can support automated VAT reporting and verification for cross-border transactions, potentially integrating with ViDA (VAT in the Digital Age) requirements. Blockchain's immutability provides audit trails for tax authorities while smart contracts can automate compliance checks.

Tokenized Assets: EBSI may provide infrastructure for tokenized securities and real-world assets under MiCA regulations, offering a European alternative to public blockchains for regulated digital asset issuance and transfer.

Technical Integration

EBSI provides RESTful APIs for integration with government systems, enterprise applications, and digital wallets. Developers can anchor data on EBSI, verify credentials, and build applications leveraging the network's trust infrastructure without operating blockchain nodes directly.

The network supports smart contracts for programmable verification logic and automated compliance rules. Interoperability with other blockchain networks and legacy systems is a design priority, enabling EBSI to serve as a trust layer bridging traditional IT infrastructure and decentralized applications.

Regulatory Alignment

EBSI is designed for EU regulatory compliance from inception. It implements GDPR principles including the right to be forgotten through off-chain data storage with on-chain verification. The network's permissioned structure enables regulatory oversight while maintaining blockchain's transparency and immutability benefits.

As the technical backbone for eIDAS 2.0 and potential infrastructure for the digital euro and other EU digital initiatives, EBSI represents Europe's approach to blockchain: public sector-led, privacy-preserving, and sovereignty-focused, contrasting with permissionless public blockchains like Ethereum or Bitcoin.

Status and Adoption

EBSI has been operational since 2020 with pilot programs across member states. The network continues expanding use cases and node participation as EU digital initiatives like eIDAS 2.0 and the EUDI Wallet move from development to production deployment. Organizations and developers can access EBSI through the EU Blockchain Observatory and Forum and the CEF Digital building blocks program.