What is supply chain traceability?

Supply chain traceability is the ability to verify where a product and its materials came from and to follow them across every step of production, processing, and shipment. Standards-based traceability does this in a vendor- and technology-neutral way so regulators, buyers, and industry can trust the same digital record.

What is conformity assessment?

Conformity assessment is the formal process of demonstrating that a product, process, or system meets specified requirements, typically defined by a technical standard such as an ASTM International standard. In global trade it is what turns a claim (this material is compliant, this shipment is authentic) into evidence a customs authority or buyer will accept.

How does the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) affect trade?

The EUDR requires companies placing commodities like cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy, and wood (and products derived from them) on the EU market to prove they were not produced on land deforested after December 31, 2020. In practice that means exporters need geolocation data, chain-of-custody records, and verifiable due-diligence statements, which is why standards-based traceability and conformity assessment are becoming operational requirements, not optional ones.

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Panel Discussion

Stimson Center Panel: Enforcing, Accelerating, and Advancing Global Trade Through Supply Chain Traceability

Blockticity CEO Mike Coner joins the Stimson Center, Steptoe LLP, Wacker Chemical, and NTELX for a panel on standards-based traceability, trade enforcement, and the future of secure global commerce.

June 18, 20268 min read

Stimson Center Panel: Enforcing, Accelerating, and Advancing Global Trade Through Supply Chain Traceability

Blockticity founder and CEO Mike Coner joined a distinguished panel hosted by the Stimson Center on June 18, 2026 to discuss how standards-based supply chain traceability and conformity assessment are reshaping global trade enforcement, customs modernization, and industrial policy. The full recording is embedded below.

As global supply chains grow more complex, governments and industry leaders face mounting challenges in enforcing trade regulations, verifying provenance, and protecting supply chains from illicit activity. Enforcement based on self-certification and paper documents has struggled to keep pace with the scale and sophistication of modern trade, creating vulnerabilities that enable third-country circumvention, forced-labor imports, and customs fraud.

Why Standards-Based Traceability Matters

Standards-based traceability lets stakeholders verify provenance and track products and materials across the supply chain in a vendor- and technology-neutral manner. It is becoming an increasingly important tool for strengthening trade enforcement, improving accountability, and supporting secure and lawful global commerce without unnecessarily burdening economic growth.

The panel explored how ASTM International standards, including work led by Committee F49 on Digital Information in the Supply Chain, provide the interoperable foundation regulators and industry need to trust digital records at scale.

Featured Speakers

Arielle Brown — Wacker Chemical Corporation

Director of Government Affairs at Wacker Chemical, leading U.S. trade and industrial policy engagement for the company's polysilicon business, an essential upstream input to semiconductor, solar, and advanced manufacturing supply chains. Her work spans Section 232 and Section 301 enforcement and critical materials policy.

Jeffrey Weiss — Steptoe LLP

Co-chair of Steptoe's International Trade Policy practice and leader of the firm's Supply Chain team. Jeff previously spent 15+ years in senior roles across three U.S. administrations, including the White House, USTR, and the Office of the Secretary of Commerce.

Mike Coner — Blockticity

Founder and CEO of Blockticity and Vice Chair of ASTM International Committee F49.06 on Clarity, Measurement, and Authenticity of Information. Mike's work focuses on trusted, interoperable traceability systems for critical minerals, agriculture, manufacturing, medical products, and other strategic supply chains.

Robert Rosenberg — Stimson Center & NTELX (Moderator)

Distinguished Fellow with Stimson's Security and Trade Efficiency Platform (STEP) and CEO of NTELX. A recognized leader in global trade facilitation and security with 25+ years of experience advising domestic and international agencies.

Key Themes From the Panel

How traceability strengthens enforcement of forced-labor, tariff, and origin rules without adding friction to compliant trade

Why vendor- and technology-neutral standards (rather than single-platform mandates) are essential to scale

The role of authenticated Certificates of Analysis, conformity assessment, and interoperable data models

What governments and industry need to do next to operationalize trusted digital trade records

Key Moments to Watch

IP protection and an EUDR case example, around 31:00

The four-step conformity assessment model Mike Coner outlines, around 48:00

The coffee traceability pilot walkthrough, around 58:00

Frequently Asked Questions

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