Standards NZ to facilitate Office Open XML meeting

MEDIA RELEASE

17 August 2007

Standards New Zealand to facilitate Office Open XML meeting

Standards New Zealand will facilitate a two day industry meeting next week to assess stakeholder views on the suitability of a document on Office Open XML for publication as an International Standard.

As a participating member of the international standards Joint Technical Committee No 1 (JTC1), New Zealand is obliged to vote on the adoption of the European Computer Manufacturers’ Association Office Open XML document (ECMA 376) as an International Standard. This document is currently designated draft international Standard (DIS) 29500 and is available at http://www.jtc1sc34.org. There is an existing international Standard for Open XML, referred to as Open Document Format (ODF), which was published last year (ISO/IEC 26300).

Standards New Zealand, as New Zealand’s national Standards body holds the responsibility to cast this vote on behalf of New Zealand.

‘The aim of the meeting is to assess and understand New Zealand stakeholder views to allow Standards New Zealand to make an informed vote on behalf of New Zealand. This meeting will be independently chaired by Ms Alison Holt, the New Zealand delegate to the international committee JTC1 SC7 Software Engineering’ said Grant Thomas, Chief Operating Officer, Standards New Zealand.

Alison Holt has over twenty years experience in the IT industry working in the USA, the UK and New Zealand. She is actively involved in the strategic development of three international standards. Alison chairs the first worldwide ISO Study Group reviewing ICT governance frameworks and practices, with the aim of developing an international ICT governance Standard. She also sits as a world expert, representing New Zealand on the working groups for ISO 26000 and ISO/IEC 20000.

‘The meeting will allow attendees to objectively review both the existing Standard and the draft DIS 29500, and will include technical presentations and discussions as well as provide the framework for a strategic discussion,’ said Alison Holt.

The meeting will be held over the 23 and 24 August in Wellington.

ENDS

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