About UKP.eb

The Objectives of UKP.eb are

• To define areas where transparent, open standards allied to best business, technical and administrative processes and practices are needed to support electronic business, recognising where matters are best left to the market. In this way to encourage the cost effective application of electronic business for the UK in an international context.
• To recognise where current best practice and standards work is being done, and to encourage standards development and maintenance via the best qualified bodies.
• To encourage the key bodies to work effectively with each other on the development of best practices and standards to the benefit of UK plc. To support particular work programmes by member bodies which are of wide relevance to the UK.
• To encourage the incorporation of cost-effective "open" standards and best practices into relevant proprietorial offerings. To work with the key providers of Electronic Business software and services to ensure this.
• To encourage the implementation of best practice and standards across UK plc. In particular to support work to ensure that SME's reap full benefits.
• To explain to the wider UK community how the building blocks of electronic business fit together and the roles and benefits of the key standards. To support the promotion of education and training in electronic business standards and best business practice by the appropriate bodies.
• To agree the UK stance on international standards and best practice for electronic business, and to agree channels of input to and UK representation on relevant international bodies e.g. UN-CEFACT, ISO, IEC. To promote UK developed ideas in the international arena so that international trading is consistent with UK trading so far as is practicable. To provide information on and awareness of the international standards scene to the UK user community. To liaise with UK government, appropriate European bodies and UK standards authorities.
• To work with the DTI and other government departments and agencies to analyse, evaluate and, where appropriate, support the development of national policy on electronic business.

UKP.eb Partners

APACS	Banking and Financial Payment including Security
	British Standards Institution — guidance, training and standards in computing and telecommunications
	The e-Government Unit headed up by Ian Watmore, reporting to Minister Ruth Kelly
DTI	Department of Trade and Industry
e.centre	Article numbering and electronic commerce standards
SITPRO	Simple Trade Procedures Board — Trade facilitation
UKCeB Industry Council	Electronic business for manufacturing and engineering

Modus Operandii

Currently partners will not pay an annual subscription. Most work will be done by the UKP.eb Partners via project teams and/or existing working groups with specialist skills, and will be funded accordingly. Working groups and teams will be "open" in principle to interested, committed and experienced parties. Other bodies will be welcome to associate themselves with the work of UKP.eb.

There are a myriad of organisations involved in Electronic Business — interest groups, technical groups, product and service providers, pressure groups etc. UKP.eb's primary focus is the promotion of best practice, guidelines and standards in the national and global arenas. Those bodies accepting our objectives and means may join as UKP.eb Partners or associates. Other bodies may wish to relate to the work of UKP.eb via our UKP.eb Partners.