EC: 'Third Workshop on
National and Sectoral Year 2000 Actions
Bruxelles, 22-23 September 1998
Draft annotated agenda
as of 31 July 1998
(Translations available - see below)
By invitation only
Purpose of the Meeting
The European Commission adopted a communication on the Year 2000 problem on
25/2/1998 COM(1998)102.
One line of Community action is to encourage and facilitate the exchange of information and
experience across borders among existing and new Year 2000 awareness and action initiatives
undertaken by Member States and European associations. The main objective is to encourage
synergies and exchange of information and best practice, to reduce duplication of efforts and
increase the overall impact. By offering this kind of forum, the European Commission wants to
improve cooperation and networking as well as facilitate informal and operational exchange of
information, ideas and experience.
The first day will be restricted to Member State officials, whereas the second day will be open
to representatives from European and international organisations which are conducting sectoral
activities on the Year 2000.
DAY 1: Tuesday 22 September
(Translations: EN, FR, DE, SP, IT, PT)
9h00 Registration
9h15 Welcome and introduction
This will include an update on the follow-up of COM(1998)102, with particular reference to
the liaison with the many activities undertaken by international organisations on the subject.
9h30 Report on EU state of readiness
The report discussed at the previous workshop and at several Council meetings will be
presented, highlighting both positive issues and areas of concern and suggesting how this
monitoring exercise could be continued in the future. Discussion should consider how to collect
useful, concise and timely information with minimal effort for all parties concerned.
10h00 Progress on national initiatives and cross-border
issues
Brief statements by delegates and Discussion
The delegates are invited to comment on the outcomes of the report and to provide additional
information about their respective Year 2000 programmes, in particular the progress on key
infrastructures (e.g. finance, telecommunication, energy, transportation). The Commission will
provide information on related international activities of which it is aware. One issue of
particular concern is the role of regulatory authorities in those sectors, especially as far as
cross-border aspects are concerned.
Delegates are invited to provide any additional national information/reports of potential benefit
to other countries which could be distributed through the Commission's Y2K Website.
13h00 Lunch
14h30 How to improve information disclosure
Introduction and discussion
One key issue to tackle the Year 2000 risk is the need to establish trust between trading
partners, both businesses and administrations. A major factor in establishing such trust is the
disclosure of the Y2K status of products and services, as well as of organisations as a whole.
A number of countries are taking steps to facilitate and encourage such disclosure, these ideas
will be presented in order to stimulate discussion concerning possible activities within the EU.
16h00 Risk assessment and contingency planning
Discussion
How are administrations analysing the risks of potential Y2K failures in their organisations and
planning for the case in which one or more of their systems are not compliant by the year
2000? How do administrations intend to reassure the public of their ability to continue to
function? What actions are being taken by Governments and supervisors? How are the actions
of administrations at local and regional level being coordinated?
17h00 Conclusions
17h30 End day 1
DAY 2: Wednesday 23 September
(Translations: EN, FR, DE)
9h00 Registration
9h15 Welcome and introduction
A brief introduction on the state of progress of activities in the EU, together with a summary of
the report on the state of readiness and its conclusions will be given. The purpose of this day is
to share sectoral Year 2000 activities with each other, in view of the many mutual relationships
and dependencies between infrastructures. Approaches taken in one sector act as inspiration to
others.
In particular, sectors should raise issues which need to be resolved at international level.
9h45 Activities in the Telecom Sector
Ron Balls, Chairman ITU Task Force
10h30 Activities in the Financial Sector
Invited Speaker, Joint Year 2000 Council
11h30 Activities in the Energy Sector
Mr G. Maas, UCPTE
12h15 Activities in the Air Transport Sector
Invited Speaker (TBC), Eurocontrol
13h00 Lunch
14h30 Panel: Information Disclosure
Discussion
The purpose of this session is to stimulate discussion as to how the disclosure of information
about the Y2K readiness of new and existing products, as well as of entire organisations, could
be encouraged, in order to promote mutual trust and cooperation. Examples from different
countries or sectors will be highlighted and discussed.
What information is currently being provided and for what purpose ? How are organisations
communicating with their trading partners? Representatives should consider means which would
encourage their own industrial sector to be more forthcoming with information.
15h30 Testing strategies: industry-wide, cross-border,
cross-sector?
Discussion
Initiatives taken in the financial and telecom sectors to carry out industry-wide testing (i.e. the
testing of interconnected systems owned by different organisations and even residing in different
countries) will be discussed, together with the options available to encourage similar
approaches in other sectors, as well as between sectors. Who should take responsibility for
coordinating these activities? How do organisations identify the appropriate internal contacts?
16h00 Conclusions
16h30 End of meeting
ispo.cec.be |
