Washington, DC RFID Summit Focuses on Business and Policy Issues: Experts Discuss Need for Harmonized Global Standards and Smart Data Security Policies

WASHINGTON, June 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Building on its core commitment to help customers improve efficiency and competitiveness, the world's leading provider of business software solutions, SAP AG , today co-hosts a global policy summit in Washington, DC, that will focus on the significant opportunities presented by radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, as well as concerns that are hindering its adoption.

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The summit -- cosponsored by SAP and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's National Chamber Foundation -- brings together senior leaders of government, business and independent advocacy groups for a high-level discussion of RFID's business and policy implications, including the many ways that RFID can boost economic competitiveness, global trade and security. The summit will also address the need for harmonized global RFID standards and smart data security and privacy policies that protect consumers and allow rapid innovation.

Bill McDermott, president and CEO of SAP America, Inc., will deliver a keynote address on "Enhancing U.S. Economic Competitiveness and International Trade Through RFID." RFID visionary and advocate Claus Heinrich, executive board member of SAP AG, will share additional insights from his new book RFID and Beyond: Growing Your Business Through Real-World Awareness.

Among the perspective panelists will be Dan Caprio, deputy assistant secretary for Technology Policy, U.S. Department of Commerce; Patrick Gauthier, senior vice president, New Product Development, Visa USA; Helen Torelli, privacy officer, Johnson & Johnson; Chris Foley, director of World Wide RFID Solutions, Sybase; Jurgen Reinold, senior director of technology, Motorola Secure Asset Solutions; Edwin Matthews, director of information systems, PacificCycle; Elizabeth Board, executive director of the EPCGlobal Public Policy Steering Committee; and representatives of the European Union and China.

The conference is the third in a series of similar events convened by SAP in the United States, Europe and Asia; the first such event took place in Berlin, Germany, last September, and was followed by a European summit in Brussels in December. SAP, a global market leader in solutions that link RFID data to business application software solutions, has an active interest in expanding areas of agreement on RFID and accelerating responsible use of the technology.

Global Cooperation and Knowledge-Sharing Crucial

"RFID offers enormous opportunities to deliver benefits to business and consumers," said Claus Heinrich, member of the Executive Board, SAP AG. "But all of us in the RFID development community are sensitive to the concerns that have been raised about data security and consumer privacy. SAP is dedicated to establishing an environment of knowledge and trust where RFID is implemented in a practical and responsible manner. It is also crucial that we promote cooperation among all nations and standards-setting bodies to promote globally harmonized technical standards. If we can all work together to establish such standards and be vigilant about data security and privacy, RFID will be a key to economic growth in the years ahead."

"We are beginning to see more and more customers in the United States adopting this new technology to achieve greater efficiency and visibility into their operations," said Bill McDermott, president and CEO, SAP America. "We anticipate that many more companies will adopt RFID over the next few years as a way of gaining a competitive edge in today's global economy."

Paving the Way for RFID Adoption

SAP has been conducting RFID research since 1998 and is a driving force in developing and implementing business applications of RFID technology. The company supports the development of globally harmonized, industry-driven standards such as those set forth by EPCglobal Inc(TM), an initiative of leading research institutes and global organizations. SAP is an active member of EPCglobal, participating in three action groups. SAP was also a founding member of EPCglobal's forerunner, the Auto-ID Center at MIT.

In another demonstration of its commitment to promotion of the global RFID dialogue, SAP last autumn established a Community Web forum (http://www.sap.com/community/rfid ) through which customers, partners, vendors and any other interested parties may collaborate on topics and share information.

Since March 2003, SAP also has been working closely with its RFID Customer Council, comprising more than 60 companies from the aerospace and defense, consumer products, pharmaceutical and retail industries. At the governmental level, SAP is engaged in the policy debate as a participant in numerous business and government applications of RFID and as a member of various industry organizations.

For more information on SAP(R) solutions for RFID, please visit: http://www.sap.com/solutions/business-suite/scm/rfid/index.epx.

About SAP

SAP is the world's leading provider of business software solutions*. Today, more than 27,000 customers in over 120 countries run more than 91,500 installations of SAP(R) software -- from distinct solutions addressing the needs of small and midsize businesses to enterprise-scale suite solutions for global organizations. Powered by the SAP NetWeaver(TM) platform to drive innovation and enable business change, mySAP(TM) Business Suite solutions are helping enterprises around the world improve customer relationships, enhance partner collaboration and create efficiencies across their supply chains and business operations. SAP industry solutions support the unique business processes of more than 25 industry segments, including high tech, retail, public sector and financial services. With subsidiaries in more than 50 countries, the company is listed on several exchanges, including the Frankfurt stock exchange and NYSE under the symbol "SAP." (Additional information at http://www.sap.com/ )

(*) SAP defines business software solutions as comprising enterprise resource planning and related software solutions such as supply chain management, customer relationship management, product life-cycle management and supplier relationship management.

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For customers interested in learning more about SAP products: Global Customer Center: +49-180-534-34-24 United States Only: 800-872-1SAP (800-872-1727) For more information, press only: Antonia Stafford Ashton, +49-160-889-6629 (mobile), antonia.ashton@sap.com, EDT Evan Welsh, 610-203-9742 (mobile), evan.welsh@sap.com, EDT Amanda Orr, Burson-Marsteller, 202-302-0227 (mobile), amanda_orr@was.bm.com, EDT Dale Curtis, dittus, 202-246-5659 (mobile), dale.curtis@dittus.com, EDT Eric Wohlschlegel, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 202-463-5682 (desk), eric.wohlschlegel@uschamber.com, EDT