UK to mediate US and EU e-battles, says Hewitt

The UK is hoping to bridge the divide between the US and the European Union in negotiations over ecommerce, according to e-minister Patricia Hewitt.
Hewitt made the announcement on her return from a fact-finding mission to the East Coast of the US where she met up with political counterparts and senior industry figures from companies including Oracle, IBM and Microsoft.
According to the minister the UK is perfectly placed to mediate disputes between the US and Europe because of its understanding of both sides. Hewitt has arranged regular videoconferences with David Byer, policy advisor to vice president Al Gore, to keep up to date with US plans.
Hewitt named security, taxation and privacy as issues high on the agenda on both sides of the Atlantic.
The minister also discussed the disparity between the EU and US in wireless technology adoption. "Everybody agrees wireless is the future," she added, claiming that many of the US representatives she met were jealous of the UK's lead in mobile and wireless technology.
The visit included a tour of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a meeting with Tim Berners-Lee, head of W3C. "We discussed the importance of XML in overcoming interoperability issues," she said. "He was delighted that the UK government is backing XML."
Hewitt also outlined changes to the UK's working visa policy to help lessen the skills shortage in the technology sector. She said a number of schemes will be piloted, including allowing companies to certify staff themselves, allowing qualified individuals to apply for certification without having secured employment first and handing out 'seasonal' visas for high-tech workers to migrate between countries.