No C 22/8 Official Journal of the European Communities 24.1.85 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
COMMISSION 
Proposal for a Council Decision on the restructuring of the system of agricultural surveys 
in Greece 
COM(84) 708 final 
(Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 10 January 1985) 
(85/C 22/16) 
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, 
Whereas it is necessary, for effective and balanced 
implementation of the common agricultural policy in 
Greece, to have statistical and accounting information 
of satisfactory scope and reliability on agricultural 
holdings in Greece and on the production, processing 
and marketing of agricultural products; 
Whereas the Greek Government is currently unable 
to provide the amount and quality of statistical data 
required for the introduction and implementation of 
the common agricultural policy, thus making a 
restructuring of the information collecting and 
processing system highly desirable in order to create a 
more solid basis for the statistical information to be 
supplied; whereas the system could at the same time 
be brought into line with those in the other Member 
States, thus improving comparability within the 
Community; 
Whereas in pursuance of Council Regulation No 
79/65/EEC (*), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) 
No 2143/81 (2), Greece is required to participate in 
the Farm Accountancy Data Network; whereas this 
participation is currently facing serious infrastructure 
problems; whereas it is therefore desirable that the 
best advantage should be drawn from improvements 
in infrastructure whilst at the same time complying with the current rules governing the Farm 
Accountancy Data Network; 
Whereas, in view of the geographical structure of the 
country and the small divisions of the agricultural 
production apparatus, the implementation of a 
modern system for collecting data calls for very 
substantial resources; 
Whereas, because of economic and budgetary 
constraints, the Greek Government does not have 
sufficient means to make the considerable effort 
involved in establishing a suitable infrastructure and a 
statistical system comparable to those which already 
exist in the other Member States; 
Whereas the implementation of an effective system 
for recording agricultural statistics in Greece will be 
in the interest of the Community and will contribute 
to the attainment of the objectives defined in Article 
39 (1) (a) of the Treaty; 
Whereas a Community contribution to the financing 
of the measures to be taken is envisaged without, 
however, making expenditure relating to 
administrative costs or personnel within the meaning 
of Article 1 (4) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 
729/70 (J), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 
3509/80 (4), chargeable to the Community budget; 
Whereas for this purpose the terms on which the 
Community will help to finance a programme 
planned and implemented by the Member State 
concerned should be defined; whereas, while the 
Greek Government should retain responsibility for 
such planning in the light of existing administrative 
structures, certain conditions should be laid down to 
guarantee optimum utilization of the Community's 
financial contribution; 
O OJ No 109, 23. 6. 1965, p. 1859/65. 
(2) OJ No L 210, 30. 7. 1981, p. 1. (») OJ No L 94, 28. 4. 1970, p. 13. 
(4) OJ No L 367, 31. 12. 1980, p. 87. 
24.1.85 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 22/9 
Whereas the Community must be able to ensure that 
the measures taken by the Greek Government will 
help to attain the objectives of the joint action and 
will fulfil the conditions under which the Community 
financing is granted; whereas the Commission, where 
necessary, will take action required to review the 
programme; 
Whereas a procedure should be laid down whereby 
the Member States and the Commission will 
cooperate closely in the Standing Committee for 
Agricultural Statistics, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 
Article 1 
In order to organize in Greece a system for compiling 
agricultural statistics and accounting data which will 
fully satisfy Community requirements in this field, the 
Greek Government shall ensure: 
(a) the gradual introduction of a coherent 
programme of statistical surveys, conducted on 
the basis of samples at agricultural holding level, 
by interviewers chosen and specially trained for 
that purpose; 
(b) the strengthening of the central technical and 
administrative infrastructure responsible for 
organizing, programming and implementing the 
compiling and processing of data; 
(c) the strengthening or creation of a regional 
technical and administrative infrastructure which 
ensures that the required surveys are carried out 
and that the data are forwarded to the National 
Statistical Service of Greece and to the Ministry 
of Agriculture. 
Article 2 
The Greek Government shall ensure that, once the 
restructuring is completed, the organization of the 
system referred to in Article 1 guarantees the holding 
of the surveys required or likely to be required at 
Community level and that these surveys fulfil the 
requirements of Community law as regards scope and 
purpose and the reliability and time limits prescribed, 
without any further financial aid being granted by the 
Community, other than the contribution provided for 
in this Decision, except in cases where Community 
contributions are also laid down for the other 
Member States. 
Article 3 
1. The organization of the new system of surveys 
referred to in Article 1 shall begin in 1986 and shall apply for a period of five years (1986 to 1990) to the 
following work: 
1. Surveys on the structure of agricultural holdings, 
2. Surveys on wine-growing holdings, 
3. Surveys on areas under fruit trees, 
4. Surveys on livestock, 
5. Surveys on milk and dairy products, 
6. Surveys on the production and marketing of eggs 
and poultry, 
7. Surveys on prices and price indices, 
8. Surveys on wages of agricultural workers, 
9. The Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN), 
10. Various operations involved in the processing of 
data on agricultural statistics. 
If necessary, this outline programme may be 
supplemented by new projects dealing with sectors 
not yet covered statistically which are of interest to 
both the Community and Greece. 
2. The timetable for the introduction of the 
programme on the basis of the new system shall be as 
follows: 
First year: Macedonia, 
Second year: Macedonia, Thrace, Thessaly and 
Epirus; 
Third year: Macedonia, Thrace, Thessaly, Epirus, 
Central Greece and the Ionian 
Islands; 
Fourth year: Macedonia, Thrace, Thessaly, Epirus, 
Central Greece, the Ionian Islands 
and the Peloponnese; 
Fifth year: the whole of Greece. 
3. The Greek Government shall be entitled to 
submit amendments to the programme referred to in 
paragraphs 1 and 2. The Commission shall decide 
whether such amendments shall be admitted in 
accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 6. 
Article 4 
1. From 1986 to 1990, the Greek Government shall 
submit to the Commission in June each year (t) an 
annual programme of measures to implement the 
programme defined in Article 3. The first annual 
programme, which shall be presented not later than 
three months after this Decision comes into force, 
shall include details of the programme of measures to 
be introduced in the year after it is submitted. This 
annual programme shall contain information on: 
No C 22/10 Official Journal of the European Communities 24.1.85 
(a) all the surveys to be carried out in the following 
year (t + 1), specifying in particular the field of 
observation, the sampling plan, the questionnaires 
to be used and the anticipated statistical errors; 
(b) progress achieved in strengthening the technical 
and administrative apparatus both centrally and 
regionally; 
(c) experience gained from the implementation of the 
previous annual programme (t — 1), including 
progress made in the institution of the new survey 
system at regional level in each production sector, 
the statistical errors recorded and measures taken 
to increase the reliability of the results. At the 
same time, a report on the use of the Community 
contribution shall be submitted to the 
Commission. 
2. At the request of the Commission, the Greek 
Government shall provide, in accordance with 
paragraph 1, further information on the annual 
programme submitted. 
3. The Commission shall decide whether to 
approve the annual programme in accordance with 
the procedure laid down in Article 6. 
Article 5 
1. The Community shall contribute to the 
programme up to the amount of the appropriations in 
the budgets of the European Communities earmarked 
for this purpose and in accordance with the 
provisions of this Decision. The expenditure to be 
borne by the Community is estimated at 23 million 
ECU for the entire programme. 
2. The contribution shall be made available to the 
Greek Government in five yearly instalments after 
submission and approval of the annual programme 
referred to in Article 4(1). 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN 
COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the 
European Economic Community, and in particular 
Articles 43 and 235 thereof, 3. The annual distribution of the amount referred 
to in paragraph 1 shall depend on the progress made 
in the implementation of the programme. 
Article 6 
1. Where the procedure laid down in this Article is 
to be followed, the chairman shall refer to the 
Standing Committee on Agricultural Statistics, either 
on his own initiative or at the request of the repre­
sentative of a Member State. 
However, in matters covered by the current rules 
governing the operation of the FADN, the 
Committee set up under Article 17 of Regulation No 
79/65/EEC shall be called upon to deliver its opinion 
in accordance with Article 19 of that Regulation. 
2. The Commission representative shall submit a 
draft of the measures to be adopted. The Standing 
Committee on Agricultural Statistics shall deliver its 
opinion on the draft within a time limit which the 
chairman may lay down according to the urgency of 
the matters submitted for discussion. The opinion 
shall be delivered by a majority of 45 votes, the votes 
of the Member States being weighted as provided for 
in Article 148 (2) of the Treaty. The chairman shall 
not vote. 
The Commission shall adopt measures which shall 
apply immediately. However, if these measures are 
not in accordance with the opinion of the Standing 
Committee on Agricultural Statistics, they shall 
forthwith be communicated by the Commission. In 
that event the Commission may defer application of 
the measures which it has adopted for not more than 
one month from the date of such communication. 
The Council, acting by a qualified majority, may take 
a different decision within one month. 
Article 7 
This Decision is addressed to the Hellenic Republic. 
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, Proposal for a Council Regulation (EEC) amending for the third time Regulation (EEC) 
No 1430/79 on the repayment or remission of import or export duties 
COM(84) 737 final 
(Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 10 January 1985) 
(85/C 22/17)