ebxml message

Subject: UN/CEFACT's Electronic Business Transition Ad Hoc Working Group (eBTWG)

From: Klaus-Dieter Naujok <knaujok@home.com>
To: BL Discussion List <bl-discussion@lists.commerce.net>,ebXML Architecture List <ebxml-architecture@lists.ebxml.org>,ebXML Business Process List <ebxml-bp@lists.ebxml.org>,ebXML Core Components List <ebxml-core@lists.ebxml.org>,ebXML Development List <ebxml-dev@lists.ebxml.org>,ebXML List <ebxml@lists.ebxml.org>
Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2001 13:14:45 -0700

You will recall that a few weeks ago Ray Walker, CSG Chair, 
circulated the final version of the e-Business Team's paper 
"Progressing the UN/CEFACT e-Business Standards Development 
Strategy." The paper proposed the formation of a new group - the 
e-Business Working Group (eBWG).

The intention of the paper was to receive input that assisted the 
CSG to take a provisional decision on the formation of the proposed 
group at its next meeting this September.

In reviewing the comments that have been received so far, it is 
clear that a common theme is a request for more quality time to 
understand and receive clarification on the technical and 
organizational detail of the proposed group.

Recognizing the importance of quality time for consultation and 
understanding, the CSG concluded that they should not try to 
complete these tasks over the next few weeks. Instead, they should 
allow the time for consultations to be completed and, subsequently, 
prepare final proposals for an e-Business Working Group for 
submission to the UN/CEFACT Plenary next year. In the meantime, 
until approval for the new group had been given, the work of the 
EWG, BPAWG and the CDWG should continue as normal.

Therefore, to allow the ebXML work allocated to UN/CEFACT to start 
immediately while also allowing the time for the consultations on 
the eBWG to be completed, the CSG has establishment an ad hoc group 
for a period of 12 months to cover this aspect of the work. 
Attached is the official announcement.

What does this mean to me as a past ebXML expert wanting to 
participate in the adhoc group?

- Visit the eBTWG website (www.ebtwg.org) to signup as a
  participant.

  NOTE: Website should be active within the next 48 hours. We
  encountered a small delay by our ISP :-(

- Schedule to attend the 1st meeting (8-12 October 2001,
  California, US). Details will be made available on the website.

  NOTE: If you had planned to participate at the eBWG
  organizational meeting in Rotterdam (September), this meeting has
  been rescheduled to a later date. Instead plan to attend the
  eBTWG session.

- If your ebXML team had projects identified, create project
  proposals using the template available on the website, and send 
  it to the eBTWG chair in order to start the process.

- Be on the watch for approved project proposals (and their call
  for participation and contribution) in order to sign up.

I look forward to meet you all again as part of the UN/CEFACT 
effort to continue the ebXML work. Please do not hesitate to 
contact me if you need any further clarification.

Klaus-Dieter Naujok
Chair, UN/CEFACT/CSG/eBTWG

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  <title>Press Release - UN/CEFACT raises the XML standard for electronic
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<h1>PRESS RELEASE</h1>

<h2>UN/CEFACT raises the XML standard for electronic business</h2>

<p>Geneva, Switzerland and Boston, MA, USA, 2 July, 2001 - UN/CEFACT and
OASIS, sponsors of the ebXML electronic business specifications, today
reaffirmed their continuing role in pioneering the development of XML
standards for electronic business. The announcement by the UN/CEFACT Steering
Group (CSG), of a new group builds on the success of the ebXML initiative.
ebXML specifications, which provide a standard method for companies to
exchange business messages, conduct trading relationships, communicate data
and define and register business processes, were recently approved, marking a
successful conclusion to the 18-month initial development phase.</p>

<p>The new group, called the e-Business Transition Ad hoc Working Group
(eBTWG) will identify specific work items to facilitate the completion of the
activities related to the ebXML Business Process and Core Components projects
and oversee the further development of those items. Detailed information
about these work items, can be found on the ebXML web site: www.ebxml.org. In
addition this group would be responsible for developing and maintaining the
UN/CEFACT e-Business architecture to ensure consistency with the ebXML
architecture specification.</p>

<p>Within twelve months, the CSG expects to establish a new permanent working
group which will provide a single forum for UN/EDIFACT and ebXML
standardization, united through the development of common business process
and information models. Given that the formation of the permanent group
requires full consideration and consultation with user communities, it has
been agreed that in the interim the eBTWG will serve as a bridge from the
recently completed ebXML initiative to the future Electronic Business Working
Group (ebWG).</p>

<p>The CSG has appointed Mr. Klaus-Dieter Naujok, the former chair of ebXML,
as the Chair of the new group and Mr. Pierre Georget and Mr. Ralph Berwanger
as Vice Chairs. Mr. Georget is the Chair of the UN/EDIFACT Working Group
(EWG) and Mr. Berwanger is the Vice Chair of ANSI ASC X12 and a member of the
EWG Management Team.</p>

<p>Mr. Ray Walker, Chair of the CSG, welcomed the decision:</p>

<p>"We are delighted to announce the formation of the eBTWG as it allow us to
continue the excellent work of ebXML, while at the same time enabling us to
consult with our user communities about the best way to establish a permanent
group in the very near future."</p>

<p>Mr. Klaus-Dieter Naujok, the newly appointed Chair of the eBTWG,
agrees:</p>

<p>"The eBTWG provides a great opportunity for taking ebXML work items to the
next level. Many organizations worldwide have committed to the ebXML
initiative and through UN/CEFACT, this will ensure that global standards for
using XML to conduct electronic business will become a reality."</p>

<p>The establishment of the eBTWG follows the recent accord between OASIS and
UN/CEFACT to manage the continued development of ebXML work items. In broad
terms, OASIS will be responsible for the ebXML technical infrastructure and
UN/CEFACT will be responsible for development of business and information
content. Both OASIS and UN/CEFACT will collaborate on ebXML deliverables
through a joint Coordination Committee.</p>

<p>The first meeting of the eBTWG will be held in California, USA, the week
commencing 8th October 2001. Full details of the meeting will be posted
shortly on the eBTWG web site <span
style="text-decoration: underline">www.ebtwg.org</span></p>

<p><strong>About ebXML</strong></p>

<p>ebXML (www.ebxml.org), sponsored by UN/CEFACT and OASIS, is a modular
suite of specifications that enables enterprises of any size and in any
geographical location to conduct business over the Internet. Using ebXML,
companies now have a standard method to exchange business messages, conduct
trading relationships, communicate data in common terms and define and
register business processes.</p>

<p><strong>About UN/CEFACT</strong></p>

<p>UN/CEFACT (www.uncefact.org) is the United Nations body whose mandate
covers worldwide policy and technical development in the area of trade
facilitation and electronic business. Headquartered in Geneva, it has
developed and promoted many tools for the facilitation of global business
processes including UN/EDIFACT, the international EDI standard. Its current
work programme includes such topics as Simpl-edi and Object Oriented EDI and
it strongly supports the development and implementation of open,
interoperable global standards and specifications for electronic business.</p>

<p><strong>About OASIS</strong></p>

<p>OASIS (http://www.oasis-open.org) is the international, not-for-profit
consortium that advances electronic business by promoting open, collaborative
development of interoperability specifications. OASIS sponsors.</p>

<p><strong>For more information contact:</strong></p>

<p>Mr. Klaus-Dieter Naujok</p>

<p>Chair, UN/CEFACT eBTWG</p>

<p>knaujok@home.com</p>

<p>+1.408.350.9648 </p>
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