COUNCIL DECISION of 18 June 1992 establishing a two-year programme (1992 to 1993) for the development of European statistics on services (92/326/EEC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 213 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (1),
Whereas the Council resolution of 19 June 1989 on the implementation of a plan of priority actions in the field of statistical information: statistical programme of the European Communities (1989 to 1992) (2) highlighted the need for a comprehensive and coherent framework that would satisfy Community statistical information requirements by ensuring the approximation of methods and a common basis for concepts, definitions and standards;
Whereas the statistical programme of the European Communities provides for the improvement of statistics on services as a necessary instrument for the efficient functioning of the internal market; whereas the inventory of available information, carried out in the framework of the statistical programme, highlighted considerable gaps in service statistics;
Whereas Council Decision 89/490/EEC of 28 July 1989 on the improvement of the business environment and the promotion of the development of enterprises, and in particular small and medium-sized enterprises, in the Community (3), may necessitate providing these enterprises, most of which are in the service sectors, with statistical information to enable them to operate efficiently in the internal market;
Whereas in Council Directive 89/130/EEC, Euratom, of 13 February 1989 concerning the harmonization of the compilation of gross national product at market prices (4) it is stated that improved GNPmp coverage presupposes the development of statistical bases; whereas the growing importance of services in the economy makes statistics on services an essential component of these statistical bases;
Whereas the Council resolution of 14 November 1989 on internal trade in the context of the internal market (5) highlighted the need to improve trade statistics by making them compatible with Community definitions;
Whereas in Council Decision 88/524/EEC of 26 July 1988 concerning the establishment of a plan of action for setting up an information services market (6), basic information on this sector is considered necessary for formulating policy on this market;
Whereas, taking acount of Council Directive 89/552/EEC of 3 October 1989 on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in the Member States concerning the pursuit of television broadcasting activities (7), the collection of comparable basic information on audiovisual services is essential for the integration and further development of this sector;
Whereas in the resolution of the European Parliament of 17 March 1989 on the impact of infrastructures and the tertiary sector on regional development - prospects for a new regional policy (8), the Commission is asked to supply harmonized data on services, broken down by regions;
Whereas multilateral negotiations on international trade in services require improved statistics to achieve effective long-term liberalization;
Whereas attention must be devoted to simplifying as far as possible collection procedures for enterprises, while maintaining data quality, by developing appropriate basic statistical tools, and to ensuring that the administrative burden on enterprises is not needlessly increased;
Whereas for the purpose of monitoring the establishment of a people's Europe, an exploratory study should be carried out into the possibility of extending the collection of statistics to cover non-commercial services for individuals and the community;
Whereas a programme lasting two years is called for;
Whereas an amount of ECU 8,5 million is estimated as necessary to implement this two-year programme;
Whereas the amounts to be committed for the financing of the two-year programme for the period after the financial year 1992 will have to fall within the Community financial framework in force,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
A two-year programme (1992 to 1993) for the development of European statistics on services (hereinafter referred to as 'the programme') is hereby established.
Article 2
The objectives of the programme referred to in Article 1 shall be as follows:
(a) to set out a European reference framework for statistics on services defining the most appropriate concepts and methods for managing and monitoring Community policies, especially the implementation of the Single European Act, and for satisfying the possible needs of national, regional and local administrations, international organizations, economic operators and professional associations;
(b) to establish a European statistical information system for services;
(c) to promote and support harmonization of statistics on services in the Member States,
without, however, needlessly increasing the burden on undertakings.
Article 3
With a view to achieving the objectives referred to in Article 2, the following measures shall be taken in line with the action plan set out in the Annex:
(a) analysis and evaluation of user demand for statistics on services;
(b) development of a methodological framework for statistics on services;
(c) setting up of the organizational and technical components of a European statistical information system for services;
(d) where applicable, carrying out of pilot surveys of service enterprises;
(e) development of basic statistical tools.
As far as possible, the Commission shall use existing instruments and procedures to carry out these tasks, applying the principle of subsidiarity.
Article 4
1. The Member States shall analyse and assess the needs of the main national users.
2. The Commission shall coordinate these activities after consulting:
- the Statistical Programme Committee instituted by Decision 89/382/EEC, Euratom (9),
- as regards financial services within its competence, the Committee on Monetary, Financial and Balance of Payments Statistics established by Decision 91/115/EEC (10).
3. The Member States shall forward the results of the activities referred to in paragraph 1 to the Commission by 31 March 1993 at the latest.
Article 5
For the measures referred to in Article 3, Member States shall supply the Commission with existing statistics on services and any information it may require concerning the methodological framework used for collecting such statistics.
Article 6
The Commission shall submit to the Council before 1 January 1994:
(a) a report evaluating the outcome of the work referred to in Article 3;
(b) the conclusions prompted by the report as to the continuation of the programme for Community statistics on services after 1993, and in particular the proposals necessary for the preparation of harmonized statistics on services, on the basis of the methodological framework referred to in Article 3 (b).
Article 7
1. The programme shall last two years.
2. The Community financial resources estimated as necessary for its implementation amount to ECU 8,5 million.
For the second year of implementation of the programme, the amount shall fall within the Community financial framework in force.
3. The budget authority shall determine the appropriations available for each financial year, taking into account the principles of sound management referred to in Article 2 of the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities.
Article 8
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Luxembourg, 18 June 1992.