COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMVIUNITIES 
C0M(92) 483 final 
Brussels, 20 November 1992 
Amended proposal for a 
COUNCIL DECISION 
adopting a 4-year programme (1993-1996) 
to develop regular official statistics 
of the environment 
(presented by the Commission pursuant to Article 149(3) 
of the EEC-Treaty) 
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 
The Commission presents herewith, in accordance with Article 149 (3) of the EC 
treaty a modified proposal for a Council decision adopting a four-year programme to 
develop regular official statistics of the environment (Doc. COM (90) 319 final of 
24.7.1990). 
2. The modifications take into account eleven of the 23 amendments proposed by the 
European Parliament which have been voted on the 13th of December 1991 and -
pursuant to Rule 40 (2) of the Parliament - on the 11th of February 1992 following 
the report of Mr Amendola (Doc PE A3 - 0271/91) and certain consequences of a 
drafting nature required by those amendments. 
The main thrust of the parliamentary report was the need for good coordination of the 
statistical programme with the proposed European Environment Agency and the 
outgoing Corine programme. 
4. The Commission agrees with the Parliament that a key issue in the development of 
environmental information is a correct distribution of roles, with clear procedures for 
coordination of the various bodies involved. 
Thus in general the Commission accepts the amendment proposals tending to clarify 
the relationship between the European Environment Agency (EEA) and the proposed 
four-year programme to develop the environmental component within official 
statistics, a relationship already set out in general terms in the Council regulation 
instituting the EEA. 
The Commission cannot accept however several of the amendments introducing 
references to the Corine programme. This experimental programme ended at the end 
of 1990, after having achieved the two aims it had been assigned : on the one hand it 
has supplied the Community environmental policy with relevant information on 
priority issues (natural biotopes, air emissions and natural resources especially in the 
Mediterranean region) ; on the other hand it has established the need for and 
demonstrated the feasibility of a permanent environmental information system and 
network, which will be developed by the EEA. Pending the entry into force of the 
Agency regulation, the Commission has taken its responsibility to keep up-to-date, 
and complement where necessary, the Corine system, and will continue to do so until 
the EEA regulation enters into force. In the present circumstances, a prolongation of 
the Corine programme as defined in Mr. Amendola's report is not on the agenda. 
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AMENDED PROPOSAL 
for a Council Decision adopting a 4-year programme 
(1993-1996) to develop regular official statistics 
of the environment 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community and in 
particular Article 130s thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission \ 
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament^, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee^, 
Whereas the Fourth Environmental Action Programme of the European Communities (1987-
1992), laid down by Council Resolution of 19 October 1987^, states that the environmental 
component of the statistical programme is to be reinforced with a view to complementing the 
information produced under the Corine programme (1985-1998), which was laid down in 
Council Decision 85/138/EEC5', and was extended to the years 1989 and 1990 by Council 
Decision 90/150/EEC6'; 
Whereas Council Regulation (EEC) ' No 1210/90 on the establishment of the European 
Environment Agency states that the task of this agency, amont its other duties, shall be to 
cooperate with the Statistical Office of the European Community (Eurostat), 
Whereas it is necessary to assess the issues, and to devise, monitor, evaluate and coordinate 
Community policies on the basis of adequate factual information, including environmental 
data, 
Whereas such adequate factual information requires a complete and reliable framework of 
environmental data also serving as acknowledged reference points for other environmental 
data; 
Whereas there is a clear need for quantative information on the relationship between the 
policies of the Community and its Member States and environmental issues, and that this can 
only be satisfied by integrating the environmental data supplied by Corine into the general 
structure of official statistics by appropriate methods of adaptation; whereas the findings of 
the Corine programme must be taken into account; 
Whereas this type of reference framework is inadequate and must be improved; 
1) OJ No C 209 of 22.8.1990, p. 29 
2) OJ No C 209 of 22.8.1990, p. 29 
3) OJ No C 209 of 22.8.1990, p. 29 
4) OJ No C 328 of 7.12.1987, p. 1 
5) OJ No L 176 of 6.7.1985, p. 14 
6) OJ No L 81 of 28.3.1990, p. 38 
7) OJ No L 120 of 11.5.1990, p. 1 
A 
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Whereas it is essential for developments in official environmental statistics to be coordinated 
to meet the main international, Community and national needs at minimum public and private 
cost, and that this can most conveniently be done within the established procedures of 
coopération between the Commission, the statistical services of international organizations and 
those of the Member States; whereas it is therefore appropriate to adoopt a four-year 
programme to ensure this coordinated development; 
Whereas developing environment statistics forms part of the Statistical Programme of the 
European Communities (1989-1992) laid down by Council Resolution of 19 June 1989P' ; 
Whereas this four-year programme of environment statistics is complimentary to the Corine 
programme (1985-1988) established by Council Decision 85/338/EECr', as extended by 
Council Decision 90/150/EEC10' to cover the years 1989 and 1990; 
Whereas the European Environment Agency is required to coordinate with existing 
Community structures, and a clearly defined programme for developing official statistics of 
the environment will facilitate this cooperation; 
Wliereas the timely delivery of suitable comparable data can only be guaranteed by 
appropriate legal provisions and these provisions have to be prepared together with the 
relevant Commission services; whereas the provisions can most efficiently be met by 
Community measures prepared after consultation with Member States; 
Whereas important work on the methodology and collection of environmental data is carried 
out by the statistical services of international organizations, in particular the United Nations' 
Statistical Office, the United Nations' Economic Commission for Europe and the Organization 
for Economic Cooperation and Development; whereas the present programme should take 
account of this work; 
Whereas it is urgent to provide data as soon as possible to meet the most pressing policy 
needs; 
Whereas it is necessary to keep the Council and the Parliament informed of progress on this 
programme to develop and consolidate official environment statistics; 
Whereas the details of data to be provided by the Member States to the Commission, including 
definitions, methodology and manner of transmission, need to be fixed by the Commission; 
Whereas consultation with Member States on the carrying out of this programme can be made 
through the Committee on the Statistical Programme of the European Communities set up by 
Council Decision 89/382/EEC ', and whereas that Committee can also be called on to give 
its opinion on the Commission's specific proposals for collection and submission of statistical 
data by Member States; 
Whereas this Committee has been consulted on the general lines of this programme and has 
approved them; 
8) OJ No C 161 of 28.6.1989, p. 1 
9) OJ No L 176 of 6.7.1985, p. 14 
10) OJ No L81 of 28.3.1990, p. 38 
11) OJ N0LI8I of 1989, p. 47 
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Whereas the creation of a structure of regular environmental information integrated with the 
official statistical systems of Member States requires substantial theoretical and practical work 
and a Community financial contribution to certain aspects of predominantly Community 
interest is appropriate; 
Whereas there is a need to gauge the amount of Community funds required to implement this 
programme; whereas this amount is in line with the financial perspective annexed to the 
Interinstitutional Agreement of 29 June 1988 ' and the appropriations actually available will, 
in compliance with this agreement, be determined in accordance with budgetary procedure, 
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS 
Article 1 
1. A programme to develop regular official statistics on the environment and to examine its 
connections with other Community policies is hereby adopted for a four-year period 
starting on the date of entry into force of this Decision. 
2. The objective of this programme is to provide regular series of key environmental 
information which will be integrated with official statistics and which will be available to 
all Member States by the end of 1995. Together with the information provided by the 
European Environment Agency, which will incorporate that supplied by Corine, it is 
designed to meet the Community's needs in respect of environmental policy and its 
connections with other Community policies. It will take account of work on environment 
statistics carried out by other Community bodies and by international organizations. It 
will contribute to the preparation of the appropriate Commission legislation governing 
the furnishing of data by Member States. 
Article 2 
1. The programme will be executed by the Commission and the official statistical services 
of the Member States. 
Pending the setting up of the European Environment Agency and in order that the 
programme may be carried through, coordination shall be handled by the Commission. 
The Commission will call on the personnel involved in the Corine programme, and 
currently employed in the task force devoted to the European Environment Agency, in 
order to utilize the Corine source of information until this is integrated and continued 
under the aegis of the European Environment Agency. 
The statistical programme shall be coordinated with the activities of the European 
Environment Agency in the six months following its establishment and in accordance 
with a joint agreement as provided for in Annex B of Regulation 1210/90 (EEC). 
12) OJ No L185 of 15.7.1988, p. 33 
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It will include: 
i) methodological/conceptual studies, 
ii) practical studies, 
iii) pilot surveys (carried out by the Official Statistical Organizations of the 
Member States), 
iv) concertation, 
v) data collection, 
vi) dissemination, 
vii) concretization in Community legal instruments. 
2. The details of the programme, including the priorities and the way it is implemented, 
shall be laid down by the Commission in accordance with the procedure set out in 
Article 4. 
3. The Annex comprises the structure of the programme and the priority fields of work 
which may be modified in collaboration with the European Environment Agency in 
accordance with the procedure set out in paragraph 1. 
Article 3 
1. The Commission shall, in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 4 and until 
the programme is completed, lay down as early as possible the details of the data to be 
forwarded by the Member States as soon as the statistical requirements and possibilities 
for the Member States to provide data in a particular area have been examined. 
2. The information collected shall be published, specifying, where appropriate, the various 
methods used to obtain it. The information shall be circulated so as to ensure, as far as 
possible, comparability between the information collected and the values laid down in 
Community and national legislation. 
Article 4 
1. The Commission shall be assisted by the Committee on the Statistical Programmes of the 
European Communities (hereinafter referred to as "the Committee") as it is established 
by the Council decision 80/382/EEC. 
2. The representative of the Commission shall submit to the Committee the draft of the 
measures to be taken. The Committee shall deliver its opinion on the draft within a time 
limit which the Chairman may lay down according to the urgency of the matter. The 
opinion shall be recorded in the minutes; in addition, each Member State shall have the 
right to ask that its position be recorded in the minutes. 
3. The Commission shall take account of the opinion delivered by the Committee. It shall 
inform the Committee of the manner in which this opinion has been taken into account. 
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Article 5 
The funds necessary for the implementation of the present decision are entered each year in 
the general budget of the European Communities. This amount includes contributions to the 
cost of data collection in selected Member States including pilot and other surveys. 
Article 6 
The Commission shall make a progress report to the Council and the European Parliament not 
later than December 1994 and a further report on completion of the programme. The 
European Environment Agency and the Committee shall give their opinion on these reports. 
Article 7 
This Decision is addressed to the Member States 
Done at 
By the Council 
The President 
ANNEX 1 
Community Programme to develop Regular Official Statistics 
on the Environment 
1993 -1996 
A. STRUCTURE 
Physical data 
defining and preparing the collection and transmission of aggregable, 
comparable data available over time 
studies on the availability and selection of relevant data at international, 
national, regional and local level 
pilot projects for testing the method of collection and integration in general 
surveys 
participation in the development of global accounting systems such as natural 
resource accounts and integration of the physical data collection in this 
framework 
participation in the development and implementation of new technology 
(Remote Sensing) 
2. Economic data 
defining and preparing the collection and transmission of aggregated 
comparable data available over time 
studies on the availability and selection of relevant data 
pilot projects for testing the method of collection and integration in general 
surveys 
defining an accounting concept for the presentation of economic data and their 
integration in global accounting systems such as satellite environment accounts 
and links to the system of national accounts (SNA) and to natural resource 
accounting. 
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3. Legal framework 
preparation of legal texts defining the content, definitions, classifications and 
methods of collection of physical and economic data. 
4. Support for Member States data collection work 
the Commission will look to the Member States statistical services and 
specialised research institutes for contributions to special studies, testing and 
pilot projects. Financial support will be given to the extent resources permit 
and routine data collection is not involved. 
5. Data management and geographical information systems 
EUROSTAT will adapt its informatics infrastructure for the reception, 
pretreatment, processing and dissemination of the statistical data transmitted 
and especially its capabilities to handle space related environmental data. Links 
will be established with the Statistical services of the Member States, the 
Commission's services and the European Environment Agency. 
International Coordination 
The programme will be developed in the larger context of international environment 
statistics e.g. United Nations Statistical Office ECE/Conference of European 
Statisticians, World Bank, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, 
to avoid duplication and to ensure consistency 
B. WORKING AREAS 
The working areas are determined by policy needs actually expressed in the fourth 
environmental action programme (1987 - 1992) and may be adapted in the light of 
policy changes. 
The programme on official environment statistics comprises the following topics: 
1. description of the changes in the quality of the environment i.e. soil, water, air 
and atmosphere: flora and fauna, human health, climate. 
Description of human activities and their influence on the quality of the 
environment: 
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extraction and consumption of raw materials 
production and consumption of agricultural and industrial products 
energy production and consumption 
construction and settlement 
leisure and tourism 
transport 
population growth and social welfare 
linked to 
resources depletion (use of renewable and non renewable resources) 
changes in land cover and land use 
pollution by emissions. 
Description of the response to the environmental damage and dangers, 
assessment of the costs and benefits and follow up of the Communities 
environmental policy i.e. 
conservation and substitution of natural resources 
changes in production methods and consumption behaviour 
direct and indirect (clean technology) prevention and reduction of 
emissions and pollution) 
conservation and protection of nature, soil, flora and fauna 
Priority areas for 1993 - 1996 are: 
economic statistics of current expenditure and investment for environmental 
protection 
data collection in collaboration with OECD and ECE/UNO 
statistics of the management of waste and dangerous products 
statistics of the quality and management of water 
linkage of transport statistics to environment statistics (including transport of 
dangerous goods and waste) 
linkage of energy statistics to environment statistics 
integration of environmental statistics in industrial surveys (definition of 
environment industries) 
integration of environmental statistics in agricultural and forestry surveys 
linkage of environment with other statistics through land information 
(collection of space related data) 
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ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(92) 483 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 17 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-92-500-EN-C 
ISBN 92-77-49316-X 
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 
L-2985 Luxembourg