W3C European symposium focuses on e-gov

Next month the World Wide Web Consortium will host a European symposium for e-government. The meeting in Spain will address issues that e-governments around the world are confronted with - privacy, security, and better government/citizen interaction.

Federal Computer Week reports that the consortium wants to understand how Web standards can allow governments and citizens to interact more efficiently and securely, with accountability on both sides.

“We hope that participants at the symposium provide us with critical information to help us develop new technologies that meet citizens’ needs and goals,” said Ralph Swick, acting technology and society domain leader at the consortium.

According to the W3C's press release:

The Symposium audience will include government institutions, technology companies, and consultants working in eGovernment services and eGovernment users (citizens, local industry, etc.). They are likely to discuss the following topics (and possibly others): eGovernment requirements; challenges citizens and governments face when using information technology; interaction, accessibility and mobile Web within eGovernment services; Web Services and eGovernment; Semantic Web and eGovernment; Security and privacy in eGovernment transactions.

Speakers participating in this symposium include Peter F. Brown (Founder of Pensive.eu and eGovernment Focus Group Chair, CEN), Serge Novaretti (Project Officer, European eGovernment Services - IDABC, European Commission), Eric Velleman (Director, Bartimeus Accessibility Foundation), Vassilios Peristeras (Senior Researcher), and Tomas Vitvar (Group Leader SIB - National University of Ireland, DERI Galway), as well as W3C experts such as Daniel Dardailler (Associate Chair for Europe, W3C), Ivan Herman (Semantic Web Activity Lead, W3C), Steven Pemberton (Chair of HTML and Forms Working Groups, W3C), and Yves Lafon (Web Services Activity Lead).