Conference Report: 4th Bolzano Business Law Day
On May 17, 2024, the 4th Bolzano Business Law Day took place at the Bolzano Chamber of Commerce. The renowned event, organized by the notary firm Crepaz Lanzi and the law firm Christoph Perathoner & Partner, provided a platform for experts from academia and practice to discuss current topics in business law. The conference was bilingual in German and Italian – with some presentations also in English – highlighting the international orientation and linguistic diversity of the audience. An attentive observer could spot, in addition to the commander of the provincial financial police and the commander of the Carabinieri, senior members of the government commissioner’s office, deputy commissioners, representatives of the Revenue Agency and their respective investigative departments. Furthermore, representatives of hds, real estate agents, entrepreneurs, and myself were present – clearly, cryptocurrencies, blockchain, and Bitcoin are attracting significant attention.
Opening and Keynote
The afternoon began with the opening and assumption of the chairmanship by Notary Dr. Walter Crepaz. In his brief welcome speech, Michl Ebner, President of the Bolzano Chamber of Commerce, emphasized the importance of the event for the region and the relevance of the topics discussed, noting that the Chamber of Commerce also provides a platform for freelancers. After a short speech by co-host and lawyer MMag. Christoph Perathoner, President of the International Forum for Business Law, chairman Crepaz introduced the participants to the topic and presented the speakers.
The keynote was delivered by Vito Lops, a journalist from the newspaper “Il Sole 24 Ore”. His lecture titled “Bitcoin è davvero oro digitale? Le differenze con l’oro fisico e le valute ‘tradizionali'” shed light on the differences between Bitcoin, traditional currencies, and physical gold.
Expert Lectures
The subsequent lectures covered a wide range of topics related to cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology:
- The Chief Prosecutor of the Anti-Mafia District of Trento, Sandro Raimondi, spoke about the criminal aspects of cryptocurrencies, providing insights into the legal challenges and risks of these new technologies, with practical examples. His remarks on territorial competencies were particularly interesting.
- Prof. Paolo Giudici explained the reasons why blockchain technology has not yet revolutionized financial markets and what hurdles still need to be overcome. His conclusion, put colloquially, was that the financial sector has assimilated blockchain technology, despite Bitcoin’s intention to deviate from the financial sector.
- Prof. Stefania Baroncelli addressed the topic of the digital euro, reflecting on the role of the European Central Bank and EU institutions in promoting this new form of money.
After a short coffee break, the event continued with more engaging lectures:
- Attorney at Law Christoph Perathoner discussed new forms of corporate financing through blockchain technology and what opportunities and risks they pose for startups and SMEs.
- Prof. Peter Hilpold presented the tax challenges associated with cryptocurrencies in Italy.
- Professors Simon Laimer and Andreas Schwartze explored international jurisdiction and applicable law for crypto-assets, which vary in detail by country (IT, CH, AT, DE).
- Prof. Nicolas Raschauer provided an overview of the new regulation on crypto-assets (MiCAR), which will soon come into force.
- Affil. Prof. Thomas Stern concluded the lecture series with an analysis of delineation problems in MiCAR and their consequences.
Discussion and Conclusions
The conference concluded with a lively discussion and exchange of conclusions between the speakers and participants. It became clear that cryptocurrencies and the underlying blockchain technology continue to be a hotly debated topic with significant legal and financial implications.
Conclusion
The 4th Bolzano Business Law Day was a great success and offered participants valuable insights into current developments and challenges in the field of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. The event underscored the importance of dialogue between academia and practice to address the complex issues posed by these new technologies.
Venue: Bolzano Chamber of Commerce, Via Alto Adige n. 60, Bolzano
Date: Friday, May 17, 2024, 14:00 – 18:00
Will there be a fifth edition of the Business Law Day? For sure – although neither notary Crepaz nor Attorney Perathoner provided any further details, but a book will be published for the conference. As soon as the book will be available, we’ll update this article – watch this space!