Shoe industry e-business conference

For the European Commission, CEN/ISSS and CEC (the European Confederation of the Footwear Industry) e-business is considered to be both a challenge and a must. So they are planning an Efnet conference near Venice on September 12. Admission is free but prior registration is obligatory for catering reasons as lunch will be provided. The conference is being held at the Villa Foscarini-Rossi, Via Doge Pisani 1/2 in Stra (www.villafoscarini.it), some 40km from Venice. CEC are considering arranging a bus transfer to and from the airport. Asking the questions: 'Does your shoe fit e-business?' they state: A challenge that must improve the competitiveness of our industry, through the availability of faster and better information, leading to shorter supply times and global data synchronisation A challenge to have electronic links throughout the production chain: from the supply side to the retail side, upstream and downstream. Efnet is a unique project where e-business between suppliers, the manufacturers and retailers are being developed and implemented. If the industry only uses the internet as an electronic and virtual way of doing business, we fear it will not be successful. A genuine e-business strategy needs to foster a consumer, supply, and retail led approach. For more details email CEC at cec@vedac.be or visit their website at [http://www.cecshoe.be]