European Electronic Commerce Association established
The Electronic Commerce Europe Association (ECE) has been established to promote a collective European view on questions relating to the development of electronic commerce. The Association was launched at the G7 conference on electronic commerce, held in Bonn, Germany, in April 1997. Its aims are to promote electronic commerce, encourage best practice, and influence policy and related issues. Eleven European national electronic commerce organizations are brought together within ECE. With the USA taking the lead in development of the Internet, there is a need for Europe to present a united front in the development of political, economic and legal aspects of "Cyberspace business". According to Harald Summa, a member of the board of the ECE, it "aims to act as a partner for change, to help European industry take advantage of the world's largest new industrial sector".