6. 2. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 31/25 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision establishing the European advisory committee 
on statistical information in the economic and social spheres (CEIES)(1) 
(91/C 31/07) 
On 16 August 1990 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, 
under article 198 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on the 
abovementioned proposal. 
The Committee instructed the Section for Economic, Financial and Monetary Questions to 
prepare its work on the subject. When work was in progress, Mr Vasco Cal was appointed 
Rapporteur-General. 
At its 280th plenary session (meeting of 18 October 1990), the Economic and Social Committee 
unanimously adopted the following Opinion. 
1. Introduction 
1.1. Statistics have played an important part in the 
process of European integration. The establishment of 
Community statistical systems in sectors such as exter­
nal trade, agriculture, coal and steel, etc., has contrib­
uted to the development of Community policies in these 
fields. 
Progress towards the completion of the Single Market 
by 1992 has created new demand for modernized data 
collection, more reliable and relevant end-product, a 
broader field of application and early availability of 
statistical data. 
1.2. Backwardness in this area and the position of 
secondary importance traditionally granted to social 
questions are reflected in the fact that harmonization 
of Member State statistics in this field has not essentially 
extended beyond the Community labour force survey, 
which provides a quantity of coherent and comparable 
data on Community population, employment and 
unemployment (currently under review). 
The need to broaden statistical data collection and 
processing activities to cover new fields, so as to take 
account of the Community policies defined in the Single 
European Act, means that greater coordination and 
alignment of priorities among the various statistical 
systems must be achieved. 
1.3. It is surprising to note that the Economic and 
Social Committee was not consulted on the statistical 
programme of the European Communities (1989-1992), 
currently in progress, although the document 
establishes priorities, objectives and guidelines, provid­
ing a basic framework of reference, in the field of 
statistical information. 
The Council has also set up a statistical programme 
committee, on which the representatives of Member 
(M OJ No C 208, 21. 8. 1990, p. 9. State statistical institutes assist the Commission in the 
overall coordination of the multiannual statistical pro­
grammes, with the aim of ensuring that planned work 
is in line with national statistical programmes. 
1.4. The Economic and Social Committee has always 
argued that the process of consultation on economic 
and social statistics should not be restricted to the 
representatives of the Member States—or, more accu­
rately, of national statistical institutes. 
At this stage in the construction of the Single Market, 
dialogue between the producers and the users of statisti­
cal information is even more essential; the representa­
tives of the different social and occupational categories 
must participate actively in this process from the outset. 
1.5. All the Member States, with the exception of 
Greece and the United Kingdom, have national statisti­
cal councils comprising representatives of public bodies 
and the various economic and social categories, as well 
as of the scientific community. 
In some cases, these councils have a purely consultative 
role (Belgium, Spain, Luxembourg, Germany), while in 
others they also possess supervisory and coordinating 
powers (France, Netherlands, Ireland, Denmark and 
Portugal), overseeing the entire national statistical 
system. 
1.6. The participation of workers' and employers're-
presentatives has helped national statistical councils to 
play a pivotal role between central statistical organiza­
tions and the various sectors providing and using stat­
istical information. 
The councils contribute to the independence of statisti­
cal systems and to the coordination of statistics, and 
lend impetus to statistical planning. They are 
empowered to ratify major planning instruments. 
No C 31/26 Official Journal of the European Communities 6. 2. 91 
2. General observations 
2.1. The Committee supports the proposal to estab­
lish a European advisory committee on statistical infor­
mation in the economic and social spheres (CEIES). 
The Committee is pleased that the CEIES is to include 
'leading representatives of the various economic and 
social categories', echoing the wording of Article 193 
of the EEC Treaty concerning the Economic and Social 
Committee, and that the annual report on the progress 
of economic and social statistical information is to be 
sent to the Committee. 
2.2. Another positive aspect is that in addition to 
assisting the Council and Commission in the coordi­
nation of objectives, the CEIES may act upon its own 
initiative, preparing Opinions or submitting reports 
'whenever it considers this necessary for the fulfilment 
of its task'. 
However, collaboration with the statistical programme 
committee should not be in one direction only (forward­
ing of CEIES Opinions or requests referring to new 
statistical activities): the CEIES should also be supplied 
with detailed, up-to-date and regular information on 
statistics policy. 
2.3. The financial statement appended to the 
proposal contains some disturbing elements, 
which must be corrected in order to avoid operational 
difficulties. 
2.3.1. Under 'Objectives', reference is made to only 
one meeting a year of the CEIES. This is clearly inad­
equate to requirements, and is incompatible with the 
objectives set: 'the CEIES reports would form the basis 
for policy development in relation to the Community 
statistical programmes for the coming years, and would 
serve as guidelines for the Statistical Programme Com­
mittee'. 
2.3.2. Under 'financial implications', Community 
funding of the CEIES is limited to 20% of the cost 
Done at Brussels, 18 October 1990. of an annual meeting (approximately 20-26 thousand 
ECU). 
Unless these figures are revised, the difficulties already 
experienced by the national statistical institutes of the 
more remote and disadvantaged Member States in 
attending regular meetings of the various current work­
ing groups will become more acute. 
The national institutes are attempting to solve this prob­
lem by sending teams of specialists. The size of such 
teams is generally proportionate to the population of the 
Member State concerned—severely limiting opportunit­
ies for participation and contributions by specialists 
from the more remote and disadvantaged countries. 
Such a procedure is clearly impracticable in the case of 
the new advisory committee. The Community budget 
must therefore make adequate provision for the organ­
ization of regular meetings—perhaps longer and bettr -
prepared, so as to cut overall costs. 
3. Specific observations 
3.1. Article 4 
According to the proposal, in addition to the four 
members representing the Commission and the twelve 
presidents or directors-general of the national statistical 
institutes of the Member States, the CEIES is to com­
prise 'twenty-four members (two per Member State) 
whom the Council shall appoint after consulting the 
Commission and the Economic and Social Committee, 
from among leading representatives of the various eco­
nomic and social categories and the scientific field. 
With a view to the appointment of these members, each 
Member State shall provide the Council with a list 
containing four candidates. The Council shall take 
account of the need for the various categories to be 
adequately represented'. 
Consultation of the Economic and Social Committee on 
the composition of the CEIES is a positive development. 
In view of the existence in almost all the Member States 
of national statistical councils, which provide a forum 
for the representatives of those categories who are now 
to be given official Community status, provision should 
be made for the consultation of such Councils. Indeed, 
these Councils could prepare the lists of candidates 
which each Member State is to submit to the Council 
of Ministers. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Francois STAEDELIN