[Ecommerce] Comments sought by US gov e-commerce WG by 17 Mar 00

[Ed Mierzwinski]

TO: Privacy and Consumer Groups
FR: Ed Mierzwinski
RE: Comments sought on barriers to electronic commerce.
2 Mar 00

Today, the Chair of the US Government Working Group on Electronic Commerce,
David Beier, [Chief Domestic Policy Advisor for the Vice President], asked
Pamela Gilbert of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, [a member of
the working group and former USPIRG and Public Citizen staffer], to contact
consumer groups and urge them to consider filing comments before 17 March
on "barriers to electronic commerce." I told Pamela I would forward a note
to all the groups and individuals I know that are working on this matter. I
apologize in advance for cross-postings. [I am posting to the Markey-Shelby
list, the TACD list, and Jamie's list. Feel free to post to other groups.]
International groups and friends, I hope they would be interested in your
views, too.

Mr. Beier and the WG are specifically interested in consumer group views on
all aspects of the issue, especially since we might have views about
**maintaining** some perceived barriers, because they are actually consumer
protections. Comments are due by 17 March, although it is possible that
since these are comments to a working group, rather than to a formal
rulemaking, late filings would be acceptable. Here are three web addresses:

The Working group page-- with links to all US govt e-commerce projects.
<www.ecommerce.gov> 

The barriers comments home page--
<http://osecnt13.osec.doc.gov/ecommerce/barriers.nsf> 

Jump right to the on-line comments pages--
<http://www.ecommerce.gov/ebarriers/respond>

Here is an excerpt:
"To implement these objectives, the President mandated that the United
States Government Working Group on Electronic Commerce: (1) identify laws
and regulations that impose barriers to the growth of electronic commerce,
and (2) recommend how these laws and regulations should be revised to
facilitate the development of electronic commerce, while ensuring that
protection of the public interest (including consumer protection) is
equivalent to that provided with respect to offline commerce. The President
mandated that the Commerce Department lead a subgroup to implement this
work, and the Subgroup on Legal Barriers to Electronic Commerce has been
formed to carry out those responsibilities.
The President directed the Subgroup to invite the public to participate in
this effort by identifying laws or regulations that may obstruct, hinder or
discriminate against electronic commerce, including those that should be
modified on a priority basis. The Subgroup was also charged with inviting
public comment on how such laws and regulations could be adapted to the
electronic environment while ensuring that public interest protections will
be equivalent to those now provided in offline commerce. This Notice and
Request for Comment implements those directives."