The Federation of European Direct Marketing (FEDMA), the US and Canada’s Better Business Bureau’s BBBOnLine and Eurochambres, the Association of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry, are developing a new international seal or "trustmark" program. It aims to signify that an on-line business upholds specific business standards, including alternative dispute resolution, regardless of its location.
The venture's mission is to help businesses implement consistently high on-line standards around the globe, using a single, internationally recognisable trustmark. The hope is that this will encourage the development of e-commerce by reducing consumer confusion over the proliferation of trustmarks and conflicting standards from country to country. To qualify for the new seal, businesses will have to adhere to the initiative's business practice standards.
Perhaps the biggest obstacle is that there already exist a number of trustmark systems, national and international, each competing for recognition, each with its own criteria for qualification.
BBBOnLine, FEDMA and Eurochambres expect to have their programme in place by early 2002.