An increasing number of Europeans
are placing more trust in the Internet as a place where they
can conduct transactions, according to recent research. Between
the last quarter of 2001 and the first quarter of 2002, there
was a 22 percent increase in the number of people shopping on-line.
However, a recently published
report, prepared by the European Commission's Enterprise DG,
found that the problems of trustworthiness may still be discouraging
businesses from participating in e-marketplaces.
These revelations come in the
run up to the European Commission's IST Programme Key Action
II (New Methods of Work and Electronic Commerce) annual conference,
eBusiness and eWork (e2002), which this year is being held in
Prague, October 16-18. Both business-to-business e-marketplaces
and issues of trust are being discussed at this conference. The
event provides an opportunity to learn about European funded
research in these two important areas, and to increase understanding
of new developments.
Given the increased transparency
of prices, partly due to the Euro, the European Commission believes
that e-marketplaces can boost the internal market by providing
wider choice and ease of ordering across borders. The e2002 conference
should help delegates access for themselves what progress is
being made towards this objective and to understand the developments
that are taking place that will help to ensure the wider acceptance
of the Internet for both consumer and business transactions.
The eBusiness and eWork events
are the conferences for RTD projects in Key Action II of the
IST Programme. Key Action II of the IST Programme is also the
primary sponsor of the eBusiness and eWork conference series.
The major sponsors of e2002 are Canon Europe, InternetOnline,
and the Technology Centre (Czech Republic).
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