GS1 Slovakia Helps Boost Country's Global Capability for Retail Trade with GXS-Powered Data Pool; GXS Further Solidifies International Data Pool Deployment Leadership with Data Pools Established to Support 18 Countries.

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia & GAITHERSBURG, Md. -- GXS, a leading provider of business to business (B2B) e-commerce solutions, today announced that it will develop and manage Slovakia's GS1-certified global data synchronization (GDS) Data Pool. More than 3,300 members of GS1 Slovakia will leverage the GXS-powered data pool to synchronize the exchange of product data, improve supply chain data quality and, as a result, maximize opportunities to fuel Eastern European regional and global economic growth.

Slovakia, which joined the European Union (EU) in May 2004, is riding the crest of one of the fastest growing markets for consumer products and retail sales in Central and Eastern Europe. Together, the 25-member EU comprises a huge economic force, accounting for approximately 18 percent of world trade, annual output in excess of US$3.6 trillion, 455 million consumers and more than a quarter of the world's gross domestic products. As a member of such a vast single market, GS1 Slovakia is in a prime position to take advantage of emerging global commerce opportunities and boost revenue from international trading partners. GS1 Slovakia's Data Pool will strengthen confidence in the country's supply chain capabilities and further encourage interest from retail and consumer packaged goods industry giants such as Wal-Mart, Metro and Proctor & Gamble.

"GS1 Slovakia joins the growing list of GS1 data pools powered by GXS, now supporting 18 countries around the world. With GXS' unparalleled level of expertise, GS1 Slovakia's data pool will be implemented so that benefits can be realized very quickly," said Ross Curtis, senior vice president of worldwide field operations at GXS. "By lowering the barriers to the global supply chain and placing Slovakian businesses on a level playing field with their global counterparts, GXS and GS1 are broadening economic and geographic opportunities for Slovakian retailers and suppliers, and boosting the visibility of their products and services outside the Eastern European region."

The certified Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN) data pool will allow item information from international suppliers, using other approved data pools, to be synchronized with the region's retailers, making worldwide trade easier and more efficient. It also will allow local suppliers to automate item management with global and European retailers that are considering entering the Slovakian market. The data pool service will be deployed using GXS Data Pool Manager, the leading solution for community-based organizations that seek to offer a data pool solution. GXS Data Pool Manager is designed to lower the barriers to implementing global data synchronization by providing a GS1-certified data pool as a managed service that is configured to the needs of specific geographic markets.

"Our membership base is comprised of retailers, suppliers, manufacturers and vendors that are very excited about our country's potential for global economic growth," said Miroslav Staffen, CEO of GS1 Slovakia. "By working with GXS, we are helping open Slovakia's retailers and suppliers to a wide range of potential trading partners, and equipping our members with the means to raise the bar across their supply chain operations. We are confident that GXS' global leadership and success in deploying data pools all over the world will help bring unprecedented opportunities to the Slovakian retail market."

GXS is the leader in providing international data pool services for GS1 member organizations. The Company is developing and deploying country and regional data pools that support 18 countries around the world, including Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Korea, New Zealand, Russia, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, as well as a data pool across the Middle East and Mediterranean (MEMA) region supporting Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates. GXS Data Pool Manager provides hosted information repositories -- in the GXS Trading Grid(SM) -- that facilitate the entry, registration and synchronization of data between trading partners. For the retail supply chain, GS1 is promoting GDSN-certified data pools globally to speed product information synchronization.

The GXS Trading Grid(SM) is the world's largest electronic business community, used by more than 30,000 trading partners every day to exchange goods and services. As a services-oriented architecture business-to-business platform, Trading Grid helps customers automate global trading communities by shielding complexity from rapidly changing standards, eliminating manual and duplicative efforts and enabling a new level of process integration and business intelligence.

About GS1 Slovakia

GS1 Slovakia is a member organization of GS1. It is responsible for administering and development of global EAN.UCC system and standards in Slovakia. These are open, global, multi-sectoral information standards, based on best business practices. By driving implementation of these standards, GS1 and its member organizations play a significant role in the management of supply and demand chains. The supply chain solutions offered by the EAN.UCC System include globally unique identification codes, XML standards, EDI transaction sets, the bar code identification standards, data transport media and electronic commerce and communications standards.

GS1 SLOVAKIA was established as a member of GS1 (previously EAN International) in 1993 and currently makes EAN.UCC system available to more than 3300 Slovak member companies.

About GXS

GXS (Global eXchange Services, Inc.) is a leading global provider of B2B e-commerce solutions that simplify and enhance business process integration and collaboration. Organizations worldwide, including more than 75 percent of the Fortune 500, leverage the GXS Trading Grid(SM) to achieve balance between supply and demand. Active in the global standards arena, GXS solutions enable customers both large and small, to connect with global partners, synchronize product information, optimize inventory levels and demand forecasts, and accelerate the execution of supply chains.

Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., GXS provides sales and support to businesses and their partners worldwide. For more information visit our Web site at www.gxs.com.

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