Electronic commerce has been one of the traditional arenas for agent technology. The complexity of these applications has been a challenge for researchers that have developed methodologies, products, and systems, having in mind the specificities of trade, the interaction particularities of commerce, the strict notion of commitment and contract, and the clearly shaped conventions and norms that structure the field. In this paper I survey some key areas for agent technology which, although

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... , are of special importance in electronic commerce, namely, solid development methodologies, negotiation technologies and trust-building mechanisms. I give examples of systems in which I have directly participated, although I also try to refer to the work of other AgentLink Special Interest Group members over the last few years.