Electronic Retailing Association Launches New European Industry Councils and Elects European Board of Directors; Goal is to Better Service the International Electronic Retailing Community.

Business Editors

PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 12, 2003

The Electronic Retailing Association (ERA), a trade association representing the $138 billion electronic retailing industry, recently met in Paris, France for a two-day working session led by Reiner Weihofen, Board Liaison, ERA President and CEO, Elissa Matulis Myers and ERA European Executive Director, Marcel Avargues.

Three special interest councils were formed whose role and mission is to foster the continuing growth of the electronic retailing industry in Europe. Each council established and reviewed their specific issues and objectives in Europe, elected a Council Chair who will serve as a member of the ERA European Board, and a second representative of the council to the Board. Specific appointments include:

-- Electronic Retailers

Chair: Gilles Labouyrie, HSS-M6, France; Ex-Officio: Giuseppe

Scavone, Intermax, Italy; Reiner Weihofen, Vector Versand,

Germany

-- Television Companies

Chair: Chris Horobin, Sirius Retail TV, UK; Branimir Brkljac,

Studio Moderna, Slovenia

-- Product Developers

Chair: Cathy Wood, Interglobal, UK; Edwin Garrubbo, American

Telecast, USA & UK; Simon Carling, Axxion, France

The new ERA European Board met for the first time on January 31, 2003 under the direction of chairperson Gilles Labouyrie of HSS-M6. A set of initial resolutions were passed, including:

The creation and call for volunteers for the European Government and Regulatory Committee, that will exchange seats with the ERA's US Government Affairs Committee. Formal integration on these issues will be established with the British Television Shopping Association, FEDMA and Direct Marketing Associations in European countries. Discussions will take place with EALA representatives to materialize with this network of advertising lawyers the mutual intention of cooperation on the regulatory issues in Europe.

An Education Program Committee will be created to develop European Conference programming beginning with the 2003 ERA European Conference to be held in Marbella, Spain June 22-24, 2003.

Additionally, plans were made to launch the first ERA European Product Showcase, a forum that allows inventors and entrepreneurs to learn about the direct response television industry and showcase their products to the ERA membership.

The meeting concluded with the announcement of new ERA member companies including QVC Germany, Simply TV UK, TF1/Teleshopping and a handful of smaller companies interested into joining the mainstream community of Electronic Retailers represented by ERA around the world.

ERA CEO, Elissa Matulis Myers noted, "ERA's expansion in Europe is well underway. We're pleased to offer our European members new and adapted opportunities to impact, influence and animate the Association, strengthening its capacity to protect and develop the Electronic Retailing Industry around the world."

About the ERA

Founded in 1990, the Electronic Retailing Association (ERA) is a trade association representing the $138 billion electronic retailing industry. It is comprised of more than 500 member companies and subsidiaries worldwide that use the power of electronic retailing to sell direct to consumers via television, radio, Internet, and wireless media. More information is available at 703-841-1751 or 1-800-987-6462 or online at www.retailing.org.