Transatlantic RFID Workshop on
Consumer Privacy and Data Security

When:

September 23, 2008

Where:

Federal Trade Commission
Conference Center
601 New Jersey Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20001

The Federal Trade Commission staff will hold a workshop on September 23, 2008, to explore emerging applications of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and their implications for consumer protection policy.  This event, “Transatlantic RFID Workshop on Consumer Privacy and Data Security,” is free and open to the public, and no pre-registration is necessary.  The workshop will bring together industry representatives, government officials, and consumer advocates from Europe and the United States to discuss security and privacy concerns associated with RFID.  It is being held in conjunction with the Transatlantic Symposium on the Societal Benefits of RFID, which will take place on September 22, 2008.  The Transatlantic Symposium is being sponsored by the Trans-Atlantic Business Dialogue, the European-American Business Council, and EPCGlobal, with the support of the U.S. Department of Commerce and the European Commission.  

Workshop participants will discuss the increasing prevalence of contactless payment devices in everyday consumer transactions, including credit card purchases and public transit.  Panelists will further discuss the growing utilization of item-level tagging in the retail sector.  The workshop will explore security and privacy threats and proposed solutions, as well as consumer awareness and education initiatives regarding these developments.

Following the FTC workshop on September 23, the U.S. Department of Commerce, in cooperation with the European Commission, will host a “matchmaking” event for U.S. and European companies, at which new transatlantic RFID partnerships and technical exchanges will be explored. 

FILING A COMMENT — Deadline: EXTENDED until October 23, 2008

Any person also may submit written comments on the topics to be addressed at the Town Hall.
Comments should refer to “Transatlantic RFID - Comment, Project No. P059106” to facilitate the organization of comments.

To File Electronically:

Follow the instructions and fill out the form at http://secure.commentworks.com/ftc-TransatlanticRFID

To File in Paper Form:

A comment filed in paper form should include the reference to “Transatlantic RFID - Comment, Project No. P059106” in both the text and on the envelope, and should be mailed or delivered to the following address:

Federal Trade Commission/Office of the Secretary
600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Room H-135 (Annex R)
Washington, DC 20580

The FTC is requesting that any comment filed in paper form be sent by courier or overnight service, if possible, because postal mail to the Commission is subject to delay due to heightened security precautions.

To Request Confidential Treatment:

To request confidential treatment, you must file in paper form and clearly label the first page of the document with “Confidential” and comply with Commission Rule 4.9(c). 15 C.F.R. § 4.9(c).

Comments must be received by COB October 23, 2008.


FTC PRIVACY POLICY

The Commission will consider all timely and responsive public comments, whether filed in paper or electronic form, and as a matter of discretion, we make every effort to remove home contact information for individuals from the public comments before posting them on the FTC website.

The FTC Act and other laws we administer permit the collection of the comments you file to consider and use in this proceeding as appropriate. For additional information, including routine uses permitted by the Privacy Act, see the Commission’s comprehensive Privacy Policy.


DISABILITY ACCOMODATIONS

The Conference Center is accessible to people with disabilities. If you need an accommodation related to a disability, please call Carrie McGlothin at 202-326-3388. Such requests should include a detailed description of the accommodations needed and a way to contact you if we need more information. Please provide advance notice.