[J3] (SC22WG5.6265) Concerns for WG meetings in 2021

[Steve Lionel]

This is just a heads-up - nothing we need to do quite yet...

At last week's INCITS PL22 meeting there was extensive discussion about 
the way ISO is specifying that WG and SC meetings should not be held 
physically due to the pandemic. What ISO does is restrict physical 
meetings for the next three months, and then each month extends the 
window another month. This means that WGs can't plan meetings in as far 
advance as they normally would, often involving commitments to venues 
and financial penalties.

PL22, the US National Body for SC22, wants to ask ISO to specify a 
longer window for "no physical meetings", but the deadline for adding 
agenda items for the upcoming SC22 meeting (August 31/September 1) has 
passed. However... If a WG noted in their report to SC22 that the 
pandemic poses a schedule risk due to virtual meetings, an NB is allowed 
to submit a "contribution" connected to such a WG concern - and I did 
this for WG5 (as did WG21).  So PL22 has tacked onto our annual reports 
a request that ISO broaden this window to at least March 2021, allowing 
WGs to plan better.

I have my fingers crossed that by June 2021, when WG5 is scheduled to 
meet in the UK, we'll be able to do so. But given how the US has handled 
things so far, I am not making any bets.

Steve