UN/CEFACT and OASIS, sponsors of the ebXML electronic business specifications, "today announced the formation of new technical committees (TC) within OASIS to carry forward the the infrastructure portions of the ebXML work. ebXML specifications, which provide a standard method for companies to exchange business messages, conduct trading relationships, communicate data and define and register business processes, were recently approved, marking a successful 18-month initial development phase. To continue ebXML maintenance and enhancements, OASIS has formed the ebXML Messaging TC, the ebXML Collaboration Protocol Profile and Agreement TC and the ebXML Implementation, Interoperability and Conformance TC. Members of the existing OASIS Registry/Repository TC have expanded their charter to embrace the ebXML Registry/Repository Specification. UN/CEFACT plans to form a working group for ebXML business process and core components in the near future. Together, OASIS and UN/CEFACT will continue to manage ebXML Technical Architecture and Marketing Awareness functions."

From the announcement:

"UN/CEFACT and OASIS remain jointly committed to ebXML," emphasized Ray Walker, chairman of the UN/CEFACT Steering Group. "Ongoing maintenance of the ebXML infrastructure continues under the OASIS technical process, because of the Consortium's expertise in XML standards development, while maintenance of ebXML business content proceeds within UN/CEFACT."

Members of the OASIS ebXML Messaging TC will work to advance ebXML's secure specification for exchanging electronic business transactions using the Internet. The OASIS ebXML Collaboration Protocol Profile and Agreement TC will continue its definition of how trading partners engage in electronic business and the technical agreements they use to collaborate. The OASIS ebXML Registry/Repository TC will advance interoperable XML registries, which list company capabilities in standard profiles allowing prospective business partners to find one another, as well as ebXML registries, which index an industry's messages, vocabularies and other data objects. The OASIS ebXML Implementation, Interoperability and Conformance TC will focus on implementation issues surrounding ebXML and provide guidelines to industry groups, vendors and users seeking to adopt the specifications.