In a first phase from March to June 2006, the Commission's Information Society and Media Directorate-General held five workshops to assess the potential of RFID for business and society but also concerns about personal privacy and security (see IP/06/289). These workshops also looked at standards and interoperability, international compatibility, radio spectrum allocation, and the future of RFID technology. They generated huge interest from stakeholders as well as citizens and the media alike. They also gained recognition around the world as, in accordance with the wish of Commissioner Viviane Reding, several high-level experts and decision-makers from non-European third countries participated in the various panels.

Four months into the initiative, the launch of the public online consultation marks the start of the second phase of the open and interactive debate.

Industry stakeholders and the general public, are invited to respond to questions on the ‘Your voice in Europe’ website. The European Commission expects from the ongoing public consultation to produce a wide consensus as to whether, and if so to what extent, Europe needs a conducive and stable policy environment encouraging all types of companies to invest in RFID technology and harmonising technology standards as well as radio frequency allocation, while at the same time providing 100 percent guarantee on individuals’ privacy and security.

A final conference, scheduled for October 2006, will present the main outcomes of the workshops and the online consultation to an audience of experts and decision-makers. This event will enable the European Commission to report on its assessment of the consultation initiatives and to collect the final views of the stakeholders before preparing the Communication to European Parliament and Council.