The session comprised two presentations together with some general discussion. He also attempted to focus discussion by identifying goals that, however worthy, are not the most immediate problems for enabling Internet commerce. The discussion then turned to the principles on which an overall approach might be based. Taso emphasized the importance of support for bi-lateral transactions.
Bilateral transactions are the simplest case.
They represent a mechanism by which commerce is conducted over the Internet today, and new standards in this area should seek to enhance these existing capabilities rather than to restrict them in the service of a particular commercial agenda. Support for bi-lateral transactions is not only important as a social principle, but it affords practical advantages as well. Because it represents the mode in which Internet commerce can be conducted today, it serves as a simple reference paradigm by which seemingly complicated legal or social concerns may be placed in proper perspective. It was also observed that an approach that mechanically decouples commercial transactions from transport service accounting not only simplifies the latter but also may also admit cost recovery for transport services in ways that enjoy increased social appeal. For example, the dynamics of the user's interaction with the postal service is completely decoupled from the interaction between the transacting parties.