COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 27.04.1998 
COM(1998) 269 final 
97/0162 (COD) 
Amended proposal for a 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) 
amending Council Regulation (EEC) No 3330/91 on the statistics relating to the 
trading of goods between Member States, with specific reference to the 
nomenclature of products (INTRASTAT) 
(presented by the Commission pursuant to Article 189 a (2) 
of the EC-Treaty) 

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 
1 The Commission has studied the report of the European Parliament1 and the adopted 
amendments2. 
2. The Commission approves the amendments of the European Parliament. 
3. The Commission thus accepts the position that the simplification benefits of a 
specific INTRÀSTAT nomenclature including a substantial reduced number of 
subheadings could in tho present collection system be counterbalanced by additional 
costs for maintaining two nomenclature versions for intra and extra-Community trade. 
This position has also been emphasized by representatives of European federations at 
several occasions. 
4. The amendments proposed by the European Parliament emphasizes the idea of a 
single nomenclature - the Combined Nomenclature (CN) - for intra and extra-
Community trade statistics, and refers to the second phase of the SLIM initiative in 
which the CN is subject of simplification. The Commission supports this approach. 
5. The Commission shares the point of view of the European Parliament that the 
simplifications should be designed in particular for the SMEs by introducing thresholds 
or other measures, e.g. tools facilitating ths classification of the products, to simplify 
the declaration of the product code. 
The Commission finds that such measures will reinforce the simplification impact of 
the revised proposal, and will respond to the complaints of the providers in terms of 
the difficulties to determine the correct product code. 
6. The Commission finds it important to achieve concrete legislative results, and 
emphasizes the strong political support which has been expressed in respect of the 
SLIM project of which INTRASTAT is part. 
• A4-0102/98 of 19 March, 1998 
2 PE 268.231 of 1 April, 1998 
J 
Amended proposa! for a 
European Parliament and Council Regulation (EC) 
amending Council Regulation (EEC) Nc 3330/91 on the statistics relating to the 
trading of goods between Member States, with specific reference to the 
nomenclature of products (INTRASTAT) 
Text proposed by the Commission^) Amendments proposed 
(Amendment 1) 
Recital 4 
Whereas the simplification of the product 
nomenclature to be used for Intrastat 
purposes is one such proposal, since 
information providers generally regard 
the classification of products as difficult; Whereas the simplified use of the 
Combined Nomenclature for Intrastat 
purposes, together with the availability to 
information providers of tools facilitating 
the classification of goods, is one such 
proposal, since information providers 
generally regard the classification of 
products in the Combined Nomenclature 
as difficult; 
(Amendment 2) 
Recital 4a (new) 
Whereas the simplification of the 
Combined Nomenclature has been 
proposed as a pilot project as part of the 
second phase of the SLIM initiative(-); 
iLl (SEC( 97)0951) 
(Amendment 3) 
Recital 5 
Whereas, therefore, there is a need to 
simplify this nomenclature while 
maintaining its link with the 
nomenclature used for the trading of 
goods with non-member countries and its 
compatibility with other statistical 
classifications; Whereas, therefore, there is a need to 
simplify the use of this nomenclature 
while preserving a single nomenclature for 
the trading of goods within the single 
market and with non-member countries 
which is compatible with other statistical 
classifications; 
(2)OJC 245, 12.8.1997, p. 12. 
(Amendment 4) 
Recital 6 
Whereas the Commission considers it 
desirable to establish a partnership with 
the national authorities and the European 
representatives of the providers and users 
of statistical information in order to draw 
up proposals for simplifying the 
nomenclature applicable for Intrastat 
purposes; Whereas it is desirable to establish a 
partnership with the national authorities 
and the European representatives of the 
providers and users of statistical 
information in order to draw up proposals 
for simplifying the Combined 
Nomenclature; 
(Amendment 5) 
Recital 6a (new) 
Whereas this partnership must still make 
it possible to preserve a sufficiently 
detailed level of information to meet the 
specific needs of some sectors. 
(Amendment 6) 
ARTICLE 1 
Article 21(1) to (5) (Regulation (EEC) 3330/91) 
1. On the statistical medium to be 
transmitted to the competent authorities, 
goods shall be identified by the 
subheadings of the current version of the 
nomenclature applicable to the trading of 
goods between Member States (Intrastat 
Nomenclature). 
2. The Intrastat Nomenclature shall be 
a goods code nomenclature based on the 
Harmonized System in force. In order to 
take account of specific needs, it may 
contain a strictly limited number of 
subdivisions below Harmonized System 
subheading level. Any such subdivisions 
below Harmonized System subheading 
level shall be identified by subheadings 
of the current version of the Combined 
Nomenclature. 1. On the statistical medium to be 
transmitted to the competent authorities. 
goods shall be identified by the 
subheadings of the current version of the 
Combined Nomenclature. 
2. However, in accordance with the 
detailed procedures set out in paragraph 3. 
providers of statistical information maw in 
the interests of reducing their statistical 
burden, limit themselves to using the 
Harmonized System. 
identify certain goods. nomenclature to 
4 
3. This nomenclature shall be adopted 
by the Commission in accordance with 
Article 30, account being token of the 
results of the work of a group composed 
of representatives of the providers and 
users of statistical information on the 
trading of goods. 
4. The operational procedures of this 
group shall be adopted by the 
Commission in accordance with Article 
30. 
ii To take account of their internal 
organization, providers of statistical 
information may use the Combined 
Nomenclature to identify goods on the 
statistical data medium. 3- The arrangements for the application 
of paragraph 2, and any other technical 
measures intended to facilitate the 
classification of goods for statistics 
relating to the trading of goods between 
Member States, shall be adopted by the 
Commission in accordance with Article 
30, account being taken of the results of 
the work of a group composed of 
representatives of the providers and users 
of statistical information on the trading of 
goods. 
4. The operational procedures of this 
group shall be adopted by the Commission 
in accordance with Article 30. 
Deleted 
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ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(98) 269 final 
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