An initial proposal has been received by OASIS for a Technical Committee on 'XML based Standards for e-Government'. The proposers include John Borras (UK Office of e-Envoy), Jouko Salonen (Republica, Finland), and Marion Royal (U.S. General Services Administration - GSA). Rationale for the TC is given in the statement that "many, if not all governments worldwide, are now developing strategies to deliver e-government services to citizens and businesses, and to support the modernisation of government. A fundamental component of enabling e-government is the adoption and use of XML based standards. To ensure these standards are developed with government requirements in mind it is proposed to create a new Technical Committee to co-ordinate and present a single voice for governments." Suggested goals for the TC would be to: (1) provide a forum for governments internationally to voice their needs and requirements with respect to XML-based standards which can be handed off to relevant OASIS TCs; (2) provide a mechanism for the creation of best practice documents relative to the adoption of OASIS specs/standards within governments internationally; (3) promote the adoption of OASIS specs/standards within governments; (4) act as an information clearinghouse and work with other OASIS channels in the adoption of XML-based systems and standards.

Goals

The suggested goals of the TC are:

• to provide a forum for governments internationally to voice their needs and requirements with respect to XML-based standards which can be handed off to relevant OASIS TCs (if they exist) or cause the formation of TCs for needs that are not currently being addressed.
• to provide a mechanism for the creation of best practice documents relative to the adoption of OASIS specs/standards within governments internationally
• to promote the adoption of OASIS specs/standards within governments (include all bi-directional forms: G2G, G2B, G2C), which could include the creation of implementation-oriented pilot projects to involve software vendors and participating government agencies to demonstrate the use of OASIS specs/standards.
• to work with other OASIS channels (e.g., XML.org for schema registry and/or information portal), act as a clearinghouse of information related to applicable specs/standards as well as activities and projects being conducted by governments in the adoption of XML-based systems and standards.

Benefits

The benefits for Governments in taking forward this work are seen to be:

• the TC would provide an avenue to get the developers of emerging standards, eg ebMXL, Web Services, to address the needs of governments and ensure the standards are not just developed for the benefit of the private sector
• it would provide a channel by which new standards required to support e-government could be identified and development organised
• it would provide governments with the voice to press for all relevant bodies to co-ordinate their activities
• it would provide a forum where EU countries could work together to deliver aspects of the eEurope 2005 plan.