Electronic Commerce Association. An independent, UK-based, non-profit-making organization which provides information regarding electronic commerce. Merged with the Article Number Association in October 1998. The new organization is known as e center UK, although the official name is the Association for Standards and Practises in Electronic Trade – EAN UK Ltd.

The Electronic Components, Assemblies, & Materials Association represents the electronics industry sector comprised of manufacturers and suppliers of passive and active electronic components, component arrays and assemblies, and commercial and industrial electronic equipment and supplies.

Electronic Check Acceptance. Offered with some POS terminals, but not available with Gateway accounts. The Gateway uses Internet Check Acceptance (see ICA), not ECA. With ECA, the check is electronically submitted as a check. The check is no longer usable and the paper check must be voided. The customer signs and receives a paper receipt. ECA services may include a check guarantee service. ECA is used for retail payments only.

Electronic Control Assembly

East Central Area Reliability Coordination Agreement – North American Electric Reliability Council Region

Earth Central Angle

Earth-Crossing-Asteroid. An asteroid whose orbit crosses the Earth's orbit or will at some time cross the Earth's orbit as it evolves under the influence of perturbations from Jupiter and the other planets.

Electoral Council of Australia

Government supported official Export Credit Agency, eg EXIMBank, ECOP

Export Credit Agency; ECAs are public national agencies that provide government-backed loans, guarantees and insurance to corporations from their home country that seek to do business overseas in developing countries and emerging markets. (Investment Insurance Agencies also commonly known as ECAs)

Export credit agencies are state bodies or institutions for assisting exporters in industrialized countries sell their goods by guaranteeing the credit payment (in part or in full) in industrializing countries.

See Export Credit Agency.

Enhanced Convolution Approach

See Enhanced Capital Allowances

Enhanced Capital Allowances. A tax relief given through the tax system by reducing the taxable profits of the business. The ECA scheme builds on existing statutory provisions, under which businesses may obtain tax relief, in the form of capital allowances, for their investment in plant and machinery.

Economic Commission for Africa

European Commission for Africa

Economic Commission for Latin America (Chile, affiliated with the UN, also CEA)