12. 9. 89 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 234/3 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
COMMISSION 
Proposal for a Council Decision amending Decision 88/390/EEC on special support for the 
development of agricultural statistics in Ireland 
(COM(89) 383 final) 
(Submitted by the Commission on 24 August 1989) 
(89/C 234/03) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 43 
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 it is advisable, in order to improve reliability 
and reduce costs, to compile the register of holdings 
(final phase of the plan set out in Decision 88/390/ 
EEC (')) at the same time as the 1991 population 
census is carried out; 
Whereas for these reasons the scheduled duration of the 
plan should be extended to 1991 without altering the 
level of the Community's contribution; 
Whereas for administrative reasons the date for 
submission of the progress report and detailed annual 
programme to the Commission should be brought 
forward; Whereas it is necessary to amend the programme laid 
down in the Annex to take account of the new 
arrangements; 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 
Article 1 
Decision 8/390/EEC is amended as follows: 
1. The first sentence of Article 3 (1) is replaced as 
follows: 
'The organization of the new system of surveys under 
Article 1 shall take the form of a programme which is 
to begin in 1988 and shall be spread over a period of 
four years (1988 to 1991)'. 
2. In Article 4 (1), the section 'From 1988 to 1990 
Ireland shall carry out the programme described in 
the Annex. Ireland shall submit each year (year t), in 
the month of June of the years 1988, 1989, 1990 and 
1991:' is replaced by: 'From 1988 to 1991 Ireland 
shall carry out the programme described in the 
Annex. Ireland shall submit each year (year t), in the 
month of June of the years 1988 and 1989 and in the 
month of April of the years 1990, 1991 and 1992:' 
3. The Annex is replaced by the Annex to this Decision. 
Article 2 
(') OJ No L 186, 16. 7. 1988, p. 39. This Decision is addressed to Ireland. 
No C 234/4 Official Journal of the European Communities 12. 9. 89 
ANNEX 
TIMETABLE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN (1988 to 1991) 
Year 1 — 1988 
The following work programme will be pursued in 1988: 
— large scale pilot tests of a new postal survey approach will be undertaken in tandem with the traditional 
enumerator survey system; 
— the results of the pilot tests will be examined to determine optium survey procedures with particular 
attention being paid to questionnaire design, dispatch and receipt of forms, non-response follow-up 
procedures and data processing requirements; 
— direct comparisons will be made between data obtained through use of the new and existing survey 
procedures with a view to establishing linkages which will allow continuity to be maintained in the 
population estimates produced in the interim changeover period; 
— available administrative sources will be examined to determine their statistical potential and, in 
particular, the extent to which they can be incorporated into a comprehensive and up-to-date register 
system for agricultural holdings; 
— the programme for the acquisition of computer and other necessary support equipment (hardware and 
software) will be commenced; 
— work will be started on the development of computer systems etc., for the handling and processing of 
the surveys; 
— training programmes for personnel engaged in the conduct and processing of the surveys will be 
initiated. 
Year 2 — 1989 
The programme of work outlined for 1988 will be continued with the following key features or additions: 
— the changeover to a fully postal system for the annual sample inquiries will be completed and the new 
system thus established will be maintained on an interim basis pending the completion of the overall 
development programme; 
— the June 1989 postal survey will be adapted so as to meet the requirements of the Community surveys 
on the structure of agricultural holdings (Council Regulation (EEC) 571/88); 
— preparations will begin for the field work, to be undertaken in 1991, for the establishment of a new 
comprehensive register of holdings. 
Year 3 — 1990 
The programme undertaken in the preceding two years will be continued in 1990 with an emphasis on the 
following issues: 
— the processing of the June 1989 postal survey returns will be given priority so that the deadline for 
submitting individual holding data to Eurostat, as part of the Eurofarm project, will be met; 
— the advantages of linking the establishment of the register of holdings to the Census of Population in 
1991 will be examined in detail; 
— the computer processing systems etc., will be developed so as to handle the new register and the full 
census of agriculture which will also be held in 1991. 
Year 4 — 1991 
The development programme will be brought to a conclusion in 1991 with the establishment of a 
computer-based register of holdings following an extensive field operation in the second quarter of 1991. 
The new register will be used to launch a permanent series of annual postal surveys in early 1992 which 
will replace the interim series established in 1988/1989. Procedures for maintaining the base register up to 
date, through linkage with administrative records and the use of special surveys, will also be put in place.