The Electronic Business Initiative (ebXML) was launched in San Jose in early December, attracting more than 120 representatives from companies such as Commerce One, DataChannel, IBM, Oracle, and Sun Microsystems. ebXML is an open, vendor-neutral initiative to establish a global technical and semantic standard for XML to facilitate the smooth exchange of electronic business data.

The ebXML Initiative is the joint effort of the United Nations/CEFACT - the United Nations body that addresses global trade and electronic business (http://www.uncefact.org) - and OASIS - a non-profit, international consortium focused on product-independent data and content interchange (http://www.oasis-open.org).

"ebXML is an independent, vendor-neutral forum through which anyone can contribute to a single, global XML framework for electronic business," says Harbinger Corporation's Klaus-Dieter Naujok, chair of the ebXML Initiative. "This open technical specification will enable XML to be used in a consistent and uniform manner, contribute to a level playing field, and rapidly increase responsible growth in electronic business."

"OASIS and UN/CEFACT have come together on ebXML to minimize the fragmentation in XML specifications for industry that might otherwise occur," adds Robert S. Sutor of IBM, vice-chair of the ebXML Initiative. "The scope and significance of ebXML is so far-reaching that many standards organizations, vendors, and users are already committed to working together to realize its potential."

At the inaugural meeting, project teams formed and began work on the following:

• ebXML Requirements
• Business Process Methodology
• Technical Architecture
• Core Components
• Transport/Routing and Packaging
• Registry and Repository
• Technical Coordination and Support
• Marketing, Awareness and Education