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

[Michelle Childs]

Ed
 You may be interested in looking at a UK Govt department report that
attempted to do the same thing (although most of it seemed to be based on
copying the US system) The report was produced by the Cabinet office which
supports the Prime Minister so it is quite influential. If you are
interested it can be accessed at the rather modestly titled
e-commerce@its.best.uk 

It would be really helpful if you could let me have a copy of any
submissions as various Govt agencies are/will do the same thing here.
Good Luck!
Michelle
> ----------
> From: 	Ed Mierzwinski[SMTP:ed@pirg.org]
> Reply To: 	tacd-ecommerce@oneworld.org
> Sent: 	02 March 2000 19:45
> To: 	tacd-ecommerce@oneworld.org
> Cc: 	ecommerce@venice.essential.org
> Subject: 	Comments sought by US gov e-commerce WG by 17 Mar 00
> 
> 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." 
>