GLOBALPLATFORM PUBLISHES NEW SYSTEMS SPECIFICATIONS TO ACCELERATE SMART CARD APPLICATION DEPLOYMENT

23 October 2001 – GlobalPlatform announces two specifications which will make the creation of multiple application smart cards as easy and transparent to card issuers as installing off-the-shelf software on PC platforms. With developers and card providers adhering to common standards, card issuers no longer need to develop or purchase custom personalisation solutions for each new application or card they wish to offer. This will improve time to market and reduce smart card launch costs.

The GlobalPlatform Profiles Specification and GlobalPlatform Scripting Specification define standardised processes to evolve multiple application smart cards throughout the card lifecycle. These new specifications employ popular XML and JavaScript technologies, which are expected to facilitate adoption of the tools. The documents are currently undergoing Member evaluation and are scheduled to be available to the public for royalty-free licensing in the first quarter of 2002.

The GlobalPlatform Profiles and Scripting Specifications will replace the Card Configurator and Script Builder Specification (CCSB) version 2.0.1. The original specification utilised a proprietary language for which scripts could be written for data preparation, card personalisation and verification of personalised cards. However, the proprietary scripting language proved a significant barrier to mass implementation and adoption. The move to more widely accepted languages reflects the growth of GlobalPlatform specifications being implemented world-wide for cards, systems and devices.

These new specifications will ease adoption by card manufacturers and application developers by enhancing interoperability, improving time to market and reducing the cost of deploying related products. These objectives are achieved through key features of the two specifications:
· Profiles – A standardised ‘snapshot’ of related information about the card, cardholder and applications. This content data is used to perform critical functions such as configuring multiple application smart cards and determining card and application compatibility.
· Scripting – A standardised process for managing a smart card from initial production through post-issuance. A flow of work is created in which automated commands enable the personalisation and deployment of applications.
Although drafted as two specifications, the documents are inter-related and complementary in nature. Both are part of a suite of GlobalPlatform specifications relating to smart card and application management systems.

Bob Beer, Vice President of Datacard and Chair of the GlobalPlatform Systems Committee comments:
“ The GlobalPlatform Profiles and Scripting Specifications are part of a complete systems architecture for managing multiple application smart cards and defining interoperability with back-office or legacy systems. Issuing organisations are challenging the smart card industry to identify smarter, quicker and cheaper ways of administering the smart card lifecycle. These new specifications represent a dramatic improvement to previous methods, and were defined in only six months. I am amazed and quite proud of the success that has been achieved in such a short window.”

GlobalPlatform Member participation in Working Groups defining the new specifications include representatives from ACI Worldwide, Bell ID, Cards etc, Citibank, Datacard, Gemplus, IBM, NTT, Oberthur Card Systems, Proton World, SchlumbergerSema, Thales e-Security and Visa International.

-ENDS-

For further information regarding GlobalPlatform, please contact Dan Bleakman or Lee’ann Connell at Sinclair Mason on Tel: 00 44 (0) 113 237 0777 or e-mail: danielb@sinclairmason.com or leeannc@sinclairmason.com

GlobalPlatform contact at Cartes 2001: Lee’ann Connell on Tel: +44 (0) 7802 487 624

Notes to editors

Comments: GlobalPlatform Members involved in The Evolution of Profile and Scripting Concepts

Jan van der Sluis, Senior Product Manager, ACI Worldwide
“ACI recognised the importance of scripting when multiple-application smart cards were first introduced, and even integrated this feature in ACI’s existing solutions. Being one of the founding members of GlobalPlatform, ACI participates in Card and Systems Working Groups and understands the need to evolve to a higher level of standardisation. We welcome GlobalPlatform’s initiative in bringing the scripting language to a more open standard, allowing customers to easily develop and maintain scripts without having too much specific knowledge. By adapting the new open language, we expect that the industry will bring faster and cheaper applications to the market, effectively leading to the growth of consumer acceptance by bringing added value.”

Erik Wellen, Product Manager, Bell ID
“One of GlobalPlatform's main goals is to standardise interfaces and Bell ID appreciates the shift to a more open technology for obvious reasons. It will definitely shorten the time to market when, for example, an Issuer wants to support a new application in its Smart Card Management System. Adhering to widely accepted cross-industry standards like GlobalPlatform enables us to offer standard products to the market place rather than costly and time consuming custom-made solutions."

Jelte van der Hoek, Chief Technology Officer, Cards etc Inc.
“Cards etc fully supports GlobalPlatform's move towards open standards and believes that this initiative will be a key milestone in the development of multi-application smart cards. As the new Profile and Scripting specification requires application developers to supply data preparation and personalisation logic in a consistent manner, it dramatically reduces the risks associated with smart card implementations.”

Martin Kearsley, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Solutions Division, Datacard
"We're right behind GlobalPlatform. It's great to be part of an organisation that responds to the needs of the market place. The adoption of today’s preferred technologies will enable the industry as a whole to move forward much more rapidly. Companies will be able to respond swiftly to ever-changing market requirements, ensuring that the investments they make in smart card-related technology offer continuing customer value. Here at Datacard we've already started activities to upgrade from the earlier GlobalPlatform CCSB script builder to the new XML and JavaScript capabilities in our data generation, smart card personalization and card and application lifecycle solutions. The move to the industry’s best of breed technology demonstrates a great step forward, achieved through a great deal of teamwork, for the benefit of all, especially customers!"

Gil Bernabeu, Research & Development Manager, Gemplus, Financial & Security Services Business Unit.
“Since the beginning Gemplus has been an active participant in all the System Committee Work Groups, and
we are delighted to be affiliated with the world class organisation that constitutes GlobalPlatform.
Gemplus is modifying the old scripting architecture to a new one, which is fully integrated into the GlobalPlatform infrastructure strategy. Customers will benefit from the integration of the new scripting specification into future Gemplus multi-application solutions, as using Gemplus & GlobalPlatform solutions, customers will have a significantly faster time to market.”

Tom Verrept, Product Manager, Proton World
"Proton World's mission is to provide card issuers with state-of-the-art smart card solutions that are based on open industry standards. We consider the Global Platform Profiles and Scripting specifications essential steps forward in the definition of a standard for multiple application smart card systems. We are also fully supportive of the new technology choices (JavaScript and XML) that are made by the Global Platform Systems Committee."

Olivier Séry, Personalisation Marketing Manager, SchlumbergerSema:
“As an active Member participating in GlobalPlatform’s Working Groups, SchlumbergerSema supports the scripting & profile building in order to bring to the market more effective standards to support multiple-application card issuance.”

Phil Naybour, Managing Director, Thales e-Security:
“Thales e-Security is working with GlobalPlatform to help specify the next level of scripting, the open personalization scripting solution. We appreciate the need for a more "open" language to help speed the migration to chip and are working closely with other smart card industry players to achieve this.”

James Lee, Senior Vice President, VISA International
“VISA enthusiastically supports the collective efforts of GlobalPlatform in improving time to market and interoperability with the open standards approach endorsed in the profiles and scripting initiatives. Companies will benefit from a flexible and adaptable means of moving smart card information, and a compelling write-once run-anywhere scripting language for delivering value added applications to multiple -application smart cards.”

About GlobalPlatform:
GlobalPlatform is the only cross-industry forum focused on the development, management and promotion of specifications for multiple application smart cards, smart card applications, and enabling devices. With support from its global member organizations, GlobalPlatform promotes a standard framework facilitating the implementation of smart card programs in any industry around the world. GlobalPlatform allows flexibility in the choice of technologies and vendors through an emphasis on open standards for cards, terminals and support infrastructure. GlobalPlatform’s card and terminal specifications are the first open standards adopted by GlobalPlatform and will provide a solid foundation from which the organization will define the future of multiple application smart cards.

GlobalPlatform totals fifty-five members from across Europe, USA, Australia, Japan and Korea, including issuers, manufacturers, and vendors of multiple application smart cards, such as American Express, MasterCard International, Motorola, Microsoft, Nokia, Proton World, Schlumberger, Sun Microsystems and Visa International, as well as several government bodies.

www.globalplatform.org