In the same way as the "static" Semantic Web deals with data model and language heterogeneity and semantics that lead to RDF and OWL, there is language heterogeneity and the need for a semantical account concerning Web dynamics. Thus, generic rule markup has to bridge these discrepancies, i.e., allow for composition of component languages, retaining their distinguished semantics and making them accessible e.g. for reasoning about rules.
In this paper we analyze the basic concepts for a general language for evolution and reactivity in the Semantic Web. We propose an ontology based on the paradigm of Event-Condition-Action (ECA) rules including an XML markup. In this framework, different languages for events (including languages for composite events), conditions (queries and tests) and actions (including complex actions) can be composed to define high-level rules for describing behavior in the Semantic Web.

[Slides (pdf)]
An extended talk about the framework can be found [here (pdf)]

The paper is a "sibling" to An Ontology- and Resources-Based Approach to Evolution and Reactivity in the Semantic Web (ODBASE 2005) :

The ODBASE paper investigates the ontology of active rules and their components, especially events and proposes an architecture how autonomous services that support different aspects (languages, application domains) of this ontology can cooperate for the Semantic Web.

The RuleML paper focuses on the markup of rules and their components according to that ontology, being more concrete on the internal markup of the components from the language structure's point of view. There, also the semantics and information flow between the rule components is described.

A preliminary version appeared in the PPSWR workshop paper.

This research is supported by the EU FP6 Network of Excellence