More Government Agencies Looking at Blockchain, Says CBP Official

Government agencies beyond Customs and Border Protection are starting to take a closer look at blockchain, said Vincent Annunziato, director of CBP’s Business Transformation and Innovation Division, in an interview. The Food and Drug Administration is “starting to move, especially, I think, because of the food safety” aspect, he said. The Health and Human Services Department “got an authority to operate” and have “a system that they’re standing up,” he said. The regulatory and legal aspects of CBP’s blockchain efforts will likely "ramp up" if the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee recommends moving forward based on results of proof of concept testing (see 1903120038), said Annunziato. At that point, the Office of Regulations and Rulings (OR&R) would have to get involved by reviewing requirements that weren’t necessary during the test, which simulated the North American Free Trade Agreement and Central America Free Trade Agreement certificates of origin process, he said. OR&R will be more connected during the coming blockchain test involving intellectual property rights, Annunziato said. It will need to play an active part in the IPR piece because of its role in approving applicants that ask CBP for protection, he said. The specific application of blockchain to the NAFTA/CAFTA processes is less important to the test itself, he said. Activities such as sending documents, storing documents and re-keying information would no longer be necessary, he said.