The plethora of legislation in e-business, with its
duplications and contradictions, threatens to swamp users and
suppliers alike.
But a new organisation emerging from supply chain standards
organisation E-Centre will monitor the progress of 130 upcoming UK
laws and EU directives which will impact IT users.
Geoff Petherick, commercial director of new body, the E-Business
Regulatory Alliance, said, "The trade associations were looking at
particular issues but not the whole picture. We needed a
process-driven, more proactive environment."
The E-Business Regulatory Alliance, a not-for-profit organisation
limited by guarantee, is working in four main areas:
- Information exchange to get upcoming legislation to the right
people at the right time
- Networking to facilitate the exchange of information on
upcoming legislation
- Lobbying through groups such as Eurim, the parliamentary
industry body
- Identifying best practice, especially for small
businesses.
The 130-plus items of upcoming legislation are grouped into
seven broad areas including trade and commerce; data protection;
crime and e-security; access to justice; intellectual property;
telecoms; and e-government.
Petherick and his team are setting up working groups, chaired by
legal experts, to track the legislation and act as watchdogs for
the IT community.
The E-Business Regulatory Alliance will also set up two strategy
groups which will consist of legal and technical experts,
academics, users and suppliers.
The groups will examine where legal reform is needed, identify any
duplication and, with the Law Society, put together a five- to
10-year strategy which will tackle any technological implications
or impact on business. For example, a comparative opinion on the
same legislation would be sought from human resources and IT
departments.
The alliance includes Queen Mary's College and Bristol University
and is working with Manchester University, the Law Society of
Scotland and the National Computing Centre.
Tel: 01491-411642
E-mail:
events@e-ra.org.uk
