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►B COUNCIL DECISION
of 25 June 1996
on improving Community agricultural statistics
(96/411/EC)
(OJ L 162, 1.7.1996, p. 14)
Amended by:
Official Journal
No page date
►M1Council Decision 98/3/EC of 18 December 1997 L 1 9 3.1.1998
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COUNCIL DECISION
of 25 June 1996
on improving Community agricultural statistics
(96/411/EC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and
in particular Article 43 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission(1),
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament(2),
Having regard to Council Decision 93/464/EEC of 22 July 1993 on the
framework programme for priority actions in the field of statisticalinformation 1993 to 1997 (
3), and in particular Article 4 (a) thereof,
Whereas the 1993-1997 framework programme envisaged by Decision
93/464/EEC establishes, inter alia , the need for better utilization of the
resources devoted to agricultural statistics by implementation of theresults of a ‘screening'operation carried out under the previous statist-ical programme envisaged by the Council Resolution of 19 June 1989on the implementation of a plan of priority actions in the field ofstatistical information: Statistical programme of the EuropeanCommunities (1989 to 1992) (
4);
Whereas this screeening has identified the main aspects of the changes
to be incorporated in Community agricultural statistics;
Whereas these changes include some of the main areas where savings
may be made and where there are new or increasing needs; whereasthese changes should conform to agreed general principles;
Whereas national adaptations have to be coordinated at Community
level, in order to ensure that:
(a) data remain sufficiently reliable in the case of each Member State
and comparable between Member States;
(b) the changes to Council legislation which may be necessary can be
identified, prepared and proposed by the Commission in good timeand in addition that the Commission approves implementing rulesfor Council legislation in good time;
(c) methodological studies by different Member States into efficient
ways of meeting the new information needs are appropriate;
(d) the scheduling of national activities takes account of collective
Community interest;
(e) the Community financial resources facilitating execution of this
programme are used as an addition to other national resources andin the most efficient way;
Whereas the best means of achieving this coordination is within a
formal structure which allows the technical constraints and preferencesto be considered collectively and choices made which reconcile nationaland Community interests;
Whereas a financial contribution by the Community to the Member
States is necessary, according to their objective needs, to facilitate theadaptations required;
(1) OJ No C 336, 14. 12. 1995, p. 6.
(2) Opinion delivered on 24 May 1996 (OJ No C 166, 10. 6. 1996).
(3) OJ No L 219, 28. 8. 1993, p. 1.
(4) OJ No C 161, 28. 6. 1989, p. 1.
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Whereas, to achieve the desired savings, adaptations to the technicalimplementation of certain surveys may be necessary; whereas suchadaptations should be permitted subject to appropriate safeguards;
Whereas provision should be made for a possible extension of this
Decision in the context of the next framework programme for priorityactions in the field of statistical information relating to the period after1997;
Whereas the distribution of tasks between the Commission and the
Member States is fully in accord with the principle of subsidiarity,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
Purpose
In order to improve the way in which Community agricultural statistics
meet information needs resulting from the reform of the CommonAgricultural Policy, Member States shall, within the limits imposed byavailable resources, take appropriate measures to adapt their nationalsystems of agricultural statistics. In this they will take account of thework areas set out in Annexes I and II hereto, and the objectives,characteristics and criteria given in Annex III.
Article 2
Role of the Commission
The Commission, acting in concert with the Member States, shall:
(a) establish a common plan for coordinating work and the general
framework for the necessary methodological descriptions;
(b) check data quality and comparability;
(c) identify and implement Community-level actions which are impor-
tant for the purposes of this Decision.
Article 3
Time frame and procedure
The process of adapting Community agricultural statistics provided for
in Article 1 shall be started during the period 1996-1997. It shall becoordinated by the Commission through technical action plans asprovided for in Article 4. After this period, the Council may decide onan extension in accordance with the Commission proposals provided forin Article 11.
Article 4
Technical action plans for agricultural statistics
1. A technical action plan for agricultural statistics shall be estab-
lished by the Commission each year in accordance with the procedurelaid down in Article 10. These plans shall cover the actions to be carriedout by the Member States pursuant to Article 1. Available resourcesshall be used in such a way as to make the greatest possible improve-ment in the cost-effectiveness of Community agricultural statistics inmeeting the requirements of Community law, informal agreements andnew information needs.
2. Each annual technical action plan shall include a detailed state-
ment of activity for the next year and an indicative timetable for thefollowing two years. When the plan is being drawn up, account must betaken of:
(a) the existing obligations for the years in question, e.g. the list and
frequency of Community surveys to be carried out by the MemberStates and other data to be provided to the Commission;
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(b) written information from Member States as provided for in Article
5 points (b) and (c);
(c) the resources required for each of the actions under consideration
and the resources available.
Article 5
Member State reports
Member States shall submit by ►M131 July◄at the latest each year
(year n):
(a) a brief report on the implementation of the actions agreed for the
previous year, (year n −1);
(b) a succinct description of the various actions proposed for the
following year’s plan (year n + 1);
(c) notification of major activities planned or proposed for the two
years thereafter (years n + 2 and n + 3) which are relevant to thepurposes of this Decision.
The description shall cover envisaged changes to the methodology of
implementation, work to be carried out, difficulties foreseen andproposals for overcoming them, the implications for national andCommunity resources and proposals for improvements at Communitylevel. Actions for which Community financial support is required shallbe identified.
Following the procedure laid down in Article 10, the Commission shall
draw up simplified standard forms to facilitate the making of thesesubmissions.
Article 6
Financial provisions
1. The Community shall contribute to the costs realized by the
Member States in making adaptations to national agricultural statisticalsystems or to such costs for preparatory work relating to new orincreasing needs which are part of a technical action plan.
2. The amount of the contribution for Member States shall be
decided each year by the Commission in conjunction with the technicalaction plan and in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article10.
3. The contribution shall be made available to Member States each
year after submission and approval by the Commission of the annualreport on the implementation, during the previous year, of the actionenvisaged. The Commission shall carry out any on-the-spot checks itdeems necessary in collaboration with the competent authorities of theMember States.
Article 7
Flexibility
Where necessary to achieve the purposes of this Decision and for the
duration of a technical action plan the Commission, acting in accord-ance with the procedure laid down in Article 10, may approve aMember State’s request to be allowed to adapt one or more of thefollowing features of the agricultural statistical surveys listed in AnnexIV: regions covered, territorial sub-divisions, definitions, survey meth-odology, survey date, list of characteristics and size of classes.
Article 8
Adapting to changing circumstances
The Commission may modify Annex I (statistical areas in which poten-
tial savings have been identified) and Annex II (statistical areas wherethere are new or increasing needs) in accordance with the procedure laid
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down in Article 10. It shall inform the European Parliament and the
Council of these modifications.
Article 9
Role of the Standing Committee on Agricultural Statistics
The Standing Committee on Agricultural Statistics set up under
Decision 72/279/EEC (1) shall meet at least once a year to discuss the
following:
(a) the reports made by the Member States on the execution of the
programme in the previous year;
(b) the actions proposed by the Member States for the following year
and the outlook for the two years thereafter;
(c) the technical action plan for the following year;
(d) the Community financial contribution provided for in Article 6;
(e) possible changes to Annexes I and II.
Article 10
Measures necessary for implementation
The Commission shall adopt the measures necessary for the imple-
mentation of this Decision. The Commission shall be assisted by theStanding Committee on Agricultural Statistics, hereinafter referred to asthe ‘Committee'.
The representative of the Commission shall submit to the Committee a
draft of the measures to be taken. The Committee shall deliver itsopinion of the draft within a time-limit which the Chairman may laydown according to the urgency of the matter. The opinion shall bedelivered by the majority laid down in Article 148 (2) of the Treaty inthe case of Decisions which the Council is required to adopt on aproposal from the Commission. The votes of the representatives of theMember States within the Committee shall be weighted in the mannerset out in that Article. The Chairman shall not vote.
The Commission shall adopt the measures envisaged if they are in
accordance with the opinion of the Committee.
If the measures envisaged are not in accordance with the opinion of the
Committee, or if no opinion is delivered, the Commission shall, withoutdelay, submit to the Council a proposal relating to the measures to betaken. The Council shall act by a qualified majority.
If within three months from the date of referral to the Council, the
Council has not acted, the proposed measures shall be adopted by theCommission.
Article 11
Report
Before►
M11 November 1999 ◄the Commission, having consulted
the Standing Committee on Agricultural Statistics, shall make a reporton the progress of this Decision to the European Parliament and to theCouncil accompanied if necessary by proposals for its extension.
Article 12
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
(1) OJ No L 179, 7. 8. 1972, p. 2.
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ANNEX I
STATISTICAL AREAS IN WHICH POTENTIAL SAVINGS HAVE BEEN
IDENTIFIED (1)
1. Farm structure surveys: simplification and restructuring of the list of charac-
teristics, particularly for intermediate surveys.
2. Survey on the area under vines: simplification of the programme of statistical
tables.
3. Survey on fruit trees: reduction in the obligations relating to intermediate
surveys.
4. Agricultural income index: elimination of the first disaggregated estimates in
October and elimination of any details of secondary importance.
5. Total income of agricultural households: greater flexibility in frequency and
in target concepts.
6. Animal surveys: application of the agriflex concept, i.e. adapting the
frequency of the surveys to the numbers of livestock in each country.
7. Dairy statistics: elimination of weekly statistics, elimination of statistics on
casein, reduction of certain annual statistics and simplification of statistics ondairy structures.
(1) In the review of agricultural statistics carried out under the Statistical Programme of
the European Communities 1989-1992. Some of the savings identified have alreadybeen implemented since this exercise started.
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ANNEX II
STATISTICAL AREAS WHERE THERE ARE NEW OR INCREASING
NEEDS (1)
Topics
1. Farm structure survey: adapting the list of characteristics to take account of
new needs (activities outside the holding, agri-environmental indicators, moredetailed geographical breakdown, particularly for the basic surveys).
2. Rapid estimates of sowing and planting forecasts at the beginning of the
winter for principal crops.
3. Improvement in and rapid provision of the production statistics in certain
sectors (fruit and vegetables, wine, eggs and poultry, flowers).
4. Improved statistics on consumption and on stock levels and changes for the
main products with a view to the regular production of supply balances atEuropean level.
5. Livestock feed: overcoming certain delays in the fodder balances.6. Development of more harmonized Community forestry statistics.7. Agricultural price statistics: new selection of the absolute agricultural price
series taking into account technical progress and economic changes.
Methodology
8. New and improved methods to enable Member States to meet more efficiently
existing and new information needs, e.g. rapid surveys, administrative data,panels, remote sensing.
(1) Identified in the review of agricultural statistics carried out under the Statistical
Programme of the European Communities 1989-1992.N.B.: Any new statistical obligation will be the subject of a separate Council legalinstrument.
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ANNEX III
OBJECTIVES, CHARACTERISTICS AND CRITERIA OF THE
COMMUNITY AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS SYSTEM
Constant improvement
1. Community agricultural statistics will steadily increase in cost-effectiveness
and in their capacity to meet the statistical needs of the Community and thirdcountries.
Positive comparability checking
2. Community agricultural statistics will incorporate continuous quality checking
to ensure that data are adequate for the needs to which they are put. Inparticular, Member States may be required to inform the Commission andother Member States of the statistical methods used and their suitability.
Response burden
3. Community agricultural statistics will impose the smallest possible burden of
response consistent with meeting information needs.
Integration of agricultural statistics with those of other activities
4. The improvement to Community agricultural statistics will facilitate:
(a) drawing on statistics from other areas;
(b) contributing to general statistical systems;
(c) use of the agricultural statistics apparatus to collect statistical information
required in other areas.
Complementarity between Community and national levels
5. National agricultural statistics systems may collect and deliver to the
Commission data not formally provided for at Community level. Similarly,certain applications developed directly at Community level (for exampleEurofarm, SPEL) may be used to provide Member States with informationwhich is not available at national level.
Concentration on the most important aspects
6. The amount of information each Member State supplies may vary according
to the importance of the phenomenon covered regionally, nationally and atCommunity level.
Most efficient national approach
7. Member States may collect basic data by the statistical method which is most
efficient, having regard to the definition, time limits and level of accuracyrequired (subject to the checking referred to in point 2).
Optimization
8. The detailed Community requirements set out in various Community legal
instruments and informal agreements do not in themselves constitute anoptimized structure. Each Member State must ensure that its national systemof agricultural statistics is adapted and responds in an optimum way toCommunity requirements. Community requirements must not unnecessarilyimpede national optimization.
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ANNEX IV
PRINCIPAL COUNCIL REGULATIONS AND DIRECTIVES ON AGRI-
CUTURAL STATISTICS
Council Directive 72/280/EEC of 31 July 1972 on the statistical
surveys to be made by MemberStates on milk and milk products
(OJ No L 179, 7. 8. 1972, p. 2)
Council Directive 76/625/EEC of 20 July 1976 concerning the
statistical surveys to be carriedout by the Member States in orderto determine the productionpotential of plantations of certainspecies of fruit trees
(OJ No L 218, 11. 8. 1976, p. 10)
Council Directive 93/23/EEC of 1 June 1993 on the statistical
surveys to be carried out on pigproduction
(OJ No L 149, 21. 6. 1993, p. 1)
Council Directive 93/24/EEC of 1 June 1993 on the statistical
surveys to be carried out onbovine animal production
(OJ No L 149, 21. 6. 1993, p. 5)
Council Directive 93/25/EEC of 1 June 1993 on the statistical
surveys to be carried out on sheepand goat stocks
(OJ No L 149, 21. 6. 1993, p. 10)
Council Regulation (EEC) No 2782/75 of 29 October 1975 on the
production and marketing of eggsfor hatching and of farmyardpoultry chicks
(OJ No L 282, 1. 11. 1975, p.
100)
Council Regulation (EEC) No 357/79 of 5 February 1979 on statistical
surveys of areas under vines
(OJ No L 54, 5. 3. 1979, p. 124)
Council Regulation (EEC) No 571/88 of 29 February 1988 on the organ-
ization of Community surveys onthe structure of agricultural hold-ings between 1988 and 1997
(OJ No L 56, 2. 3. 1988, p. 1)
Council Regulation (EEC) No 837/90 of 26 March 1990 concerning
statistical information to besupplied by the Member States oncereals production
(OJ No L 88, 3. 4. 1990, p. 1)
Council Regulation (EEC) No 959/93 of 5 April 1993 concerning statist-
ical information to be supplied byMember States on crop productsother than cereals
(OJ No L 98, 24. 4. 1993, p. 1)