The Steering Committee for the forthcomong EDI ’89 exhibition, a self-appointed group formed to spread awareness of Electronic Data Interchange, yesterday held the fourth of five seminars with the point of interest being UK government application of the technology. Keith Marshall of UK Customs, a convert to the EDI cause and also a member of the Steering Committee, explained how the system had been implemented in his department. Using the Simplified Period Entry Scheme, SPES, a Fast Lane Clearance System was introduced in August which allows certain goods to be cleared through Customs using all electronic documentation data pertaining to the Common Agricultural Policy has already beneficially received this treatment – but so far its application is limited to authorised importers, and even here clearances must still be confirmed by the relevant paperwork. But hope is on the horizon in the form of CHIEF, a system for Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight, which will eventually be available for exporters too, and go some way to create a paperless trading situation in time for the European Single Market in 1992. Another committee member, Brian Love, in charge of strategy and policy for the NHS, explained the Health Service’s intention to adopt EDI as part of its National Procurement Plan in order to reduce holding stock and to increase direct supply – expenditure in this area being the second largest element in the National Health Service budget. He stated that within three years, the Service would be processing 80% of its purchases electronically, and encouraging competition among EDI service providers and sharing processing costs with its suppliers. Clearly the Steering Committee intends to see electronic trading established as a business standard with particular regard to the Single European Market – yet it is precisely in the international context that most difficulty lies, for no international standard has emerged to facilitate widespread use of electronic invoicing and documentation, and problems concerning the legal status of pure electronic trading exist. The Steering Committee is confident, however, that these will be resolved in the near future. Themes such as legality, security and implementation of systems will be on the agenda at the EDI ’89 exhibition, at the Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre, Westminster, from October 31 to November 2.
