COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 23.07.1996 
COM(96) 370 final 
REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL 
on the operation of the EUROFARM-project 
(according to Article 13 of Regulation 571/88/EEC) 

1, Preliminary remarks: 
Council Regulation (EEC) No 571/881) of 29 February 1988 provides for four Community 
surveys on the structure of agricultural holdings to be carried out between 1988 and 1997. 
In accordance with Annex II of this Regulation, the results of these surveys are stored, 
processed and disseminated via the Eurofarm system to be set up by the Commission. 
Article 13 of the Regulation states that every three years, and in the first instance not later 
than 31 December 1992, the Commission shall submit to the Council a report on the 
operation of the Eurofarm project. It shall also propose any necessary changes to 
Regulation 571/88. 
2. Importance of the Community surveys 
The structure of agricultural holdings largely determines potential income in agriculture. 
Statistical information on changes in the structure of agricultural holdings is therefore an 
essential factor in directing Community policies, particularly the Common Agricultural 
Policy and regional policy. 
Decisions taken by the Community should increasingly be quantified in order to assess their 
scope and their affect on European agriculture and hence on the Community budget. The 
structure surveys enable the effects and results of decisions on agricultural and regional 
policy to be checked and monitored over time. 
Consequently, reliable and objective statistical information collected through these surveys 
is indispensable for forecasting and administering the Community agricultural budget. It 
enables measures taken under the various Community policies to be rationalized and made 
more effective and realistic. 
3. Importance of the EUROFARM project 
In order to reduce the workload of the national statistical offices and make the survey 
results available to the users more quickly, the Commission has devised the EUROFARM 
project which makes for rationalization of data analysis. The survey results, in the form of 
tables, will be available more readily, more rapidly, at less cost and in a more standardized 
form than hitherto. In addition, the EUROFARM project makes it possible to produce, on 
demand, special tables, not covered by the standard programme of tables, from the 
information received from the Member States. 
The EUROFARM project is a long-term investment which is available not only to the 
Community Institutions, but also to the statistical offices and government departments of 
the Member States. 
V OJ L 56 of 2.3.1988, p. 1 . 
4. Importance of the EUROFARM renort. 
The first report of the EUROFARM report was submitted to the Council in 19922>. This is 
the second report. The object is to provide an overall picture of technical developments in 
the Eurofarm system and of the two surveys processed under the Eurofarm system - the 
1989/90 basic survey and the 1993 interim survey. The report also contains details of the 
extent to which the conclusions contained in the first report have been taken on board, and 
gives pointers for future surveys, particularly those after 1997. 
2> Doc. SEC (92) 2084 final 
SUMMARY 
1. In accordance with Annex II of Council Regulation 571/88/EEC, the results of the farm 
structure surveys are stored, processed and disseminated via the Eurofarm system to be set 
up by the Commission. Article 13 of the Regulation states that every three years, and in the 
first instance not later than 31 December 1992, the Commission shall submit to the Council a 
report on the operation of the Eurofarm project. It shall also propose any necessary changes 
to Regulation 571/88. The first report was submitted to the Council in 19921) ). This is the 
second report. 
2. The Eurofarm system consists of the database system, comprising the database for 
anonymous individual data and the database for tabular data that can be accessed by 
statistical users, and the processing software. The contents of the database system are defined 
in the Annex to Regulation 571/88 and described in the first Eurofarm report. 
3. Development of the main functions of the processing software was largely complete when the 
first Eurofarm report was submitted, and the relevant details can be found in the said report. 
There were thus no real difficulties in storing individual data from the 1989/90 and 1993 
surveys, checking them for completeness and plausibility and converting them into tabular 
results that allow statistical confidentiality to be maintained. 
4. Increasing importance is being attached to the guarantee of statistical confidentiality on the 
part of the competent services in the Member States. For the subsequent development of 
processing functions, every effort was thus made to take account of the concerns expressed 
by the Member States' representatives about physically protecting individual data from 
unauthorized access and preventing the identification of individual agricultural holdings 
included in tabular data released for use. 
5. As the Eurofarm system is specifically tailored to the processing of results from the surveys 
on the structure of agricultural holdings, any changes to these surveys necessarily mean 
modifying the Eurofarm system. Since 1992, allowance has had to be made for the 
following: 
- changes to the list of survey characteristics ; 
- changes/simplifications to the standard tabulation program; 
- checking of table consistency (intra- and inter-table coherence tests) with a view to 
simplifying the approval procedure; 
- calculation of the coefficient of variation (relative standard error) for a stratified sample 
(rather than for a random sample, as before); 
- modification of the rounding procedure ; 
- bringing the typology into line with the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy; 
- impact of the procedure used to calculate the relative standard error (for a stratified 
sample) on the FILTER program used to maintain statistical confidentiality. 
The surveys on the structure of agricultural holdings not only incur very high survey costs 
but are also very labour-intensive. This effort is justified, however, because the results of the 
surveys provide an indispensable decision-making basis for the orientation of both 
Community and national agricultural policy. It is therefore very important that the survey 
results be made available for users as quickly as possible. Survey results which only become 
available after a long delay may already have lost much of their informative value. 
J)> Doc. SEC (92) 2084 final 
Ah> 
The survey results of the 1989/90 farm structure surveys were available in tabular form for 
all Member States (and EUR-12) 31 months after the latest deadline for transmission of 
individual data. By simplifying both the organisational and the technical procedure of 
consulting Member States an improvement could be achieved so that the results for the 1993 
surveys could be released for the users after 11 months. 
The survey results could be available even earlier if the competent bodies of the Member 
States succeeded in meeting the deadlines for the supply of individual data, delivering "clean" 
individual data at the first attempt, delivering the checked control tables at the same time 
which would markedly reduce the time needed for the release procedure. 
7. The Commission has taken up the conclusions of the "Agricultural Statistics" Council 
Working Party (after the first EUROFARM report had been submitted in November 1992) 
and taken some follow-up measures. These are the results : 
7.1 In collaboration with the competent working party of the Agricultural Statistics Committee 
the Commission has prepared a draft Council Regulation. This draft Council Regulation 
envisages that the validity of Regulation 571/88 be extended by a ten-year period and that a 
new basic survey (1999/2000) and three interim surveys (2003, 2005, 2007) be carried out in 
that period. 
7.2 The Commission intends to take up the discussion on questions of how to establish a common 
information system at subregional level again in connection with the next basic survey of 
1999/2000. For example, in the list of characteristics to be surveyed in the next basic survey 
it is planned to record for each holding surveyed the objective zone in which it is located. 
7.3 The result of the discussions, suggested by the Council working group, between the German 
bodies and Eurostat is that Germany is prepared to supply individual data in future (from the 
1997 survey onwards) if the legal conditions are created. 
7.4 The financial requirements for the EUROFARM work shall be appropriately taken into 
account when making the planned amendment to Regulation 571/88 with regard to the farm 
structure surveys after 1997. 
7.5 The proposal to set up a data subset with data which are semi-aggregated at national level in 
Eurostat to which the competent services of the Member States should have direct on-line 
access has not been pursued any further so far. The Commission still has major misgivings 
about this proposal, as such a project would hardly be reconcilable with the exacting 
demands made on the EUROFARM system as regards the protection of individual data. 
8. Experience with the Community agricultural structure surveys has shown that the survey 
programme and the methodology used for the surveys should be left unchanged wherever 
possible and, with a view to the surveys carried out after 1997, should only be amended if 
new developments in agriculture, agricultural technology or changes to the thrust of the 
common agricultural policy make this necessary. 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
1. Preliminary remarks: 
2. Further development of components of the Eurofarm system 
2.1 Components of the EUROFARM system 
2.2 Safeguard of statistical confidentiality of the individual data 
2.3 Changes made to the software in the light of the 1993 and 1995 surveys 
2.3.1 Changes to the list of characteristics 
2.3.2 Checking table consistency and simplifying the standard tabulation 
program and the approval procedure 
2.3.3 Calculation of the coefficient of variation (relative standard error) 
2.3.4 Modification of the rounding procedure 
2.3.5 Bringing the typology into line with the reform of the Common 
Agricultural Policy 
2.3.6 Impact of the procedure for calculating the relative standard error on 
the FILTER programme and on the standard table generating 
programme 
3. Supply, processing and dissemination of the results of the 1989/90 and 1993 surveys on 
the structure of agricultural holdings 
3.1 Supply of survey results 
3.2 Checking of individual data for plausibility and completeness 
3.3 Preparation of BDT standard tables and procedure for their release 
3.4 Dissemination of tabular survey results 
3.5 Conclusions 
4. Measures in view of the conclusions from the first report of the Commission to the 
Council (November 1992) 
4.1 Next basic survey 
4.2 Setting-up of a common information system at subregional level 
4.3 EUROFARM and the special situation of the F.R. of Germany 
4.4 Financing and development of the EUROFARM project 
4.5 Direct access for competent services of Member States to data which are semi-
aggregated at national level 
4.6 Other questions 
5. Amendments needed to Council Regulation (EEC) No 571/88 
5.1 Preliminary note 
5.2 Period of validity of the legal basis 
5.3 Reference year for the next basic survey 
5.4 Periodicity of the surveys 
5.5 List of survey characteristics 
5.6 Revision of the Community classification of agricultural holdings (typology) 
5.7 Regional breakdown of survey results 
5.8 Community contribution to survey costs 
1. Preliminary remarks: 
Council Regulation (EEC) No 571/88 *> of 29 February 1988 provides for four Community surveys 
on the structure of agricultural holdings to be carried out between 1988 and 1997. In accordance 
with Annex II of this Regulation, the results of these surveys are stored, processed and 
disseminated via the Eurofarm system to be set up by the Commission. Article 13 of the 
Regulation states that every three years, and in the first instance not later than 31 December 1992, 
the Commission shall submit to the Council a report on the operation of the Eurofarm project. It 
shall also propose any necessary changes to Regulation 571/88. 
The first report was submitted to the Council in 19922>. This is the second report. The object is 
to provide an overall picture of technical developments in the Eurofarm system and of the two 
surveys processed under the Eurofarm system - the 1989/90 basic survey and the 1993 interim 
survey. The report also contains details of the extent to which the conclusions contained in the 
first report have been taken on board, and gives pointers for future surveys, particularly those after 
1997. 
2. Further development of components of the Eurofarm system 
2.1 Components of the EUROFARM system 
The Eurofarm system consists of: 
the database system, comprising 
the database for anonymous individual data, 
the database for tabular data that can be accessed by statistical users, 
and 
the processing software. 
The contents of the database system are defined in the Annex to Regulation 571/88 and described 
in the first Eurofarm report. 
Development of the main functions of the processing software was largely complete when the first 
Eurofarm report was submitted, and the relevant details can be found in the said report. There 
were thus no real difficulties in storing individual data from the 1989/90 and 1993 surveys, 
checking them for completeness and plausibility and converting them into tabular results that allow 
statistical confidentiality to be maintained. 
*) OJ L 56 of 2.3.1988, p. 1 
2> Doc. SEC (92) 2084 final 
2.2 Safeguard of statistical confidentiality of the individual data 
It became clear during the course of work that increasing importance was being attached to the 
maintenance of statistical confidentiality on the part of the competent services in the Member 
States. For the subsequent development of processing functions, every effort was thus made to 
take account of the concerns expressed by the Member States' representatives about physically 
protecting individual data from unauthorized access and preventing the identification of individual 
agricultural holdings included in tabular data released for use. 
Physical $m protection 
The object of physical data protection is to ensure that individual data are protected from any type 
of direct dissemination or misuse, i.e. to guard against unwanted access of any kind. The 
organization of work within Eurostat and the functionalities of the data processing system 
guarantee such protection, access being granted to a very small number of expressly authorized 
personnel only. 
Maintenance of statistical confidentiality 
Measures to maintain statistical confidentiality are designed to prevent the indirect dissemination 
of individual data contained in tabular results. Processing programs have been developed for 
rounding off results and deleting them if tabular field occupancy is too low and for detecting and 
deleting tabular fields in which a few large holdings predominate. In addition, the DERIV 
programme can prevent the derivation of deleted values by difference. These programs are 
specifically geared to Eurofarm requirements. 
The programs used as part of the measures to maintain statistical confidentiality during Eurofarm 
processing are tailoured to the requirements of the farm structure surveys and to the EUROFARM 
system, and they are adequate in view of the objectives. However, this model might prove 
inadequate if transferred to other sectors. 
2.3 Changes made to the software in the light of the 1993 and 1995 surveys 
As the Eurofarm system is. specifically tailored to the processing of results from the surveys on the 
structure of agricultural holdings, any changes to these surveys necessarily mean modifying the 
Eurofarm system. Since 1992, allowance has had to be made for the following: 
changes to the list of survey characteristics; 
changes/simplifications to the standard tabulation program; 
checking of table consistency (intra- and inter-table coherence tests) with a view to 
simplifying the approval procedure; 
calculation of the coefficient of variation (relative standard error) for a stratified sample 
(rather than for a random sample, as before); 
modification of the rounding procedure; 
bringing the typology into line with the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy; 
impact of the procedure used to calculate the relative standard error (for a stratified sample) 
on the FILTER program used to maintain statistical confidentiality. 
2.3.1 Changes to the list of characteristics 
The competent bodies in the Member States, DG VI (Agriculture) and Eurostat all agree in 
principle that, in order to secure long-term data series and limit survey and data processing costs, 
the structure and contents of the list of survey characteristics should - as far as possible - remain 
unchanged from survey to survey. However, the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy and 
changing farming practices in Europe mean that certain adjustments must be made to the list of 
characteristics to meet new statistical requirements. Account had likewise to be taken of these 
changes in the Eurofarm system. 
2.3.2 Checking table consistency and simplifying the standard tabulation program and the 
approval procedure 
As they have reserved the right to be consulted prior to the scheduled release of a table, the 
competent services will have a considerable amount of work to do if they wish to check every 
table submitted in this way. Several Member States thus suggested simplifying the standard 
tabulation program. The Commission has met these wishes as far as is currently possible. There 
are, however, limits. Account must be taken of the following: 
Statistical users are extremely interested in time series. Continuity in respect of standard 
tables from previous surveys must therefore be guaranteed. 
Any changes to the standard tabulation program would mean making extensive and costly 
changes to the Eurofarm processing program. Given the lack of staff and financial resources 
within the Eurofarm team, this is currently not possible. 
The reform of the Common Agricultural Policy calls for even more detailed structural data. 
However, the prime requirement is for more detailed and complex statistical data that are 
available on time and at regular intervals (e.g. on land set aside and agricultural labour force), 
so that policy decisions in the agricultural field can be based on correct information about the 
preconditions, the financial consequences and the expected impact on the structure of 
agricultural holdings and thus on potential income in agriculture. This type of information is 
increasingly important, particularly at regional level. 
The fewer standard tables are made available to statistical users, the more frequently ad hoc 
tables can be expected to be requested, meaning that the workload on the relevant services in 
the Member States (as part of the "approval procedure") and on the Eurofarm team as a 
whole would probably change very little. 
In order to reduce the amount of work done by the Member States in connection with the 
approval procedure, the Eurofarm team has developed programs to check the coherence of data 
both within and between tables. These tests were subsequently extended to the control tables that 
the Member States must forward to Eurostat together with individual data. Member States need 
therefore only carefully check the control tables (containing all the important basic data) when 
forwarding individual data. Eurostat subsequently checks coherence between the standard tables 
and the control tables. 
It was agreed with the Member States that standard-table results which were not incoherent with 
the control tables should be considered authorized. This procedure did much to simplify the 
release procedure. It allows a large number of tables to be checked using computer programs. 
2.3.3 Calculation of the coefficient of variation (relative standard error) 
For sample surveys, the Eurofarm system calculates field occupancy and the relative standard error 
for each field of tabular results in order to assess the statistical reliability of the results. As it 
transpired that using the relative standard error for a random sample can lead to erroneous 
conclusions, and as Member States select stratified samples (except in Greece), Eurofarm now 
calculates the relative standard error for a stratified sample. The Member States supply the 
requisite data on the stratified samples. 
2.3.4 Modification of the rounding procedure 
A table field contains normally a counter (number of cases), e.g. number of holdings, or the value 
of a characteristic, e.g. total agricultural area of these holdings. 
The view initially taken by the working party responsible for farm structure surveys was that, 
during rounding, totals (and the corresponding average values, e.g. average agricultural area per 
holding) should be changed as little as possible, meaning that, in certain cases, greater changes 
would have to be made to individual values in order to maintain the total. However, experience 
has shown that it makes more sense to change the counters and the values of characteristics (both 
as concerns individual values and totals) independantly and as little as possible and accept that the 
average based on rounded data (value of a characteristic and a counter) may differ more or less 
from the average before rounding. 
2.3.5 Bringing the typology into line with the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy 
Adjustment of the typology to bring it into line with the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy 
was necessary in view of the following: 
changes to the list of characteristics: as from 1995, the structural survey uses new categories 
to record land set aside; 
changes to the classification system: the general type of farming "1. Specialist field crops" is 
now subdivided into "13. Specialist cereals, oil-seeds and protein crops" and "14. General 
field cropping". 
2.3.6 Impact of the procedure for calculating the relative standard error on the FILTER 
programme and on the standard table generating programme 
Changeover from the relative standard error for a random sample to the relative standard error for 
a stratified sample affected the FILTER program used to guarantee the confidentiality within 
tabular results and estimate the reliability of tabular results from sample surveys. The FILTER 
program had to be adjusted accordingly. Considerable modifications were also necessary in the 
standard table generating programme. 
3. Supply, processing and dissemination of the results of the 1989/90 and 1993 surveys on 
the structure of agricultural holdings 
3.1 Supply of survey results 
Pursuant to Annex II, paragraph 5, of Council Regulation No. 571/88, individual data are 
forwarded to Eurostat within time limits which are discussed in the competent working party and 
established by Commission Decision after an opinion has been issued by the Standing Committee 
for Agricultural Statistics. A uniform code specified by the Statistical Office of the European 
Communities in agreement with the Member States is used. 
The time limits for supplying survey results were specified for the 1989/90 basic survey by 
Commission Decision 89/652/EEC1} and for the 1993 survey by Commission Decision 
93/502/EEC2). 
All Member States carried out the 1989/90 basic surveys and the 1993 survey within the envisaged 
survey period, but only a few Member States forwarded the survey results to Eurostat in good 
time. The longest delays occurred for the 1989/90 basic survey, amounting to as much as 12 
months in individual cases. 
3.2 Checking of individual data for plausibility and completeness 
When individual data are received, they are checked by the EUROFARM team for plausibility and 
completeness. Considerable additional delays occurred because the individual data supplied by 
most Member States were beset with errors to a greater or lesser degree. Manifestly systematic 
errors were corrected directly in the EUROFARM system in agreement with the national statistical 
services if the cause of the error was known. In all other cases, Eurostat had to request a new data 
tape. In this way, further delays of up to 30 months were experienced in some cases before "clean" 
data were available in Eurostat. 
Eurostat had made a (COBOL) checking program available to all Member States, enabling them to 
check individual data before furnishing them to Eurostat. The latter was informed that not all 
Member States were able to instal these programs in their data-processing systems. In addition, for 
the 1989/90 basic survey only three Member States supplied the checking tables specified in 
paragraph 9 of Annex II to Regulation No 571/88. For the 1993 structural survey, an additional 
three Member States did so. It is striking that individual data furnished by those Member States 
which also supplied checking tables did not contain any errors worthy of note. 
The difficulties and appreciable extra work which the EUROFARM team had to cope with as a 
result of late or erroneous individual data being supplied were discussed in detail by the competent 
working party. The representatives of the competent services of the Member States were asked to 
take the utmost care when transferring individual data to the EUROFARM file layout, to check 
these data using the EUROFARM checking program before forwarding them to EUROFARM, 
and also to use the control tables as a checking aid. 
The representatives of the Member States were also asked to attach priority to data tapes intended 
for Eurostat, i.e. not to delay their compilation until after individual data had been evaluated for 
national purposes. 
3.3 Preparation of BDT standard tables and procedure for their release 
l) 
2) OJ No L 391, 30.12.1989, p. 42 
OJ No L 236, 21.09.1993, p. 13 
If, following correction and/or clarification of facts and circumstances, the individual data can be 
regarded as "clean", the EUROFARM team prepares the BDT standard tables as provided for in 
the corresponding Commission Decisions. As already mentioned, the competent services of the 
Member States have reserved the right to be consulted prior to release of these tables. Checking 
the standard tables has proved to be extremely time-consuming although the competent bodies 
were provided with extensive material as an aid to checking, e.g. overviews of individual tabular 
field occupancy, relative standard errors for each tabular field, results of consistency tests etc. 
Owing to this time-consuming release procedure, much valuable time was lost, in individual cases 
as much as up to 15 months. As a result of all these delays, released EUR 12 tabular results for the 
1989/90 basic survey were not available until November 1995, i.e. 31 months after the final supply 
deadline (31 March 1993) for individual data. By agreement with the Member States, therefore, 
this release procedure was radically simplified, starting with the 1993 survey (see point 2.3.2 of 
this document). 
Appreciable delays also occurred in the supply of the 1993 structure survey results. It can be 
stated, however, that these delays were less serious than in the case of the 1989/90 basic survey. 
Consequently, released EUR12 results were available at the end of January 1996, i.e. 11 months 
after the final supply deadline (28 February 1995) for the individual data. 
3.4 Dissemination of tabular survey results 
On-line interrogation for privileged users 
As soon as the competent services of the Member States have released the standard tables drawn 
up by the EUROFARM team, the tabular data are input into the "publicly" accessible part of the 
EUROFARM system (BDT tabular database) and are then available to all data suppliers (statistical 
offices and agricultural ministries of the Member States) and Directorate-General VI (Agriculture) 
on-line with the aid of the communications network. On-line users are also able to extract parts of 
tables in order to compile data which directly match the analyses they intend to perform. 
Publications 
The preliminary results of the 1989/90 basic survey (depending on the Member State, 
implementation of the basic survey extended from 1988 to 1991) were published in mid-1993 in 
the form of a rapid-information report; this was followed in October 1995 by an extensive 
Eurostat publication setting out the key results of the basic surveys. 
In mid-1995, the preliminary results of the 1993 structure survey were published, likewise as a 
rapid-information report. 
Other mefoa 
The results of the 1989/90 basic survey will also be available on CD-ROM. CD-ROM with the 
results of the surveys from 1975 to 1987 (formerly stored in the FSSRS database) is already 
available. 
Extracts from the EUROFARM-BDT database can also be supplied as hardcopy (listings), on tape 
or on diskette. 
10 
3.5 Conclusions 
The surveys on the structure of agricultural holdings not only incur very high survey costs but are 
also very labour-intensive. This effort is justified, however, because the results of the surveys 
provide an indispensable decision-making basis for the orientation of both Community and national 
agricultural policy. 
It is therefore very important that the survey results be made available for users as quickly as 
possible. Survey results which only become available after a long delay may already have lost 
much of their informative value. 
Experience gained over several years has shown that it takes relatively little time to process 
individual data in the EUROFARM system. 
In Italy's case, for example, the time requirement is as follows (1989/90 basic survey: around 2.6 
million holdings surveyed, equals 2.6 million records): 
check for completeness and plausibility: about one day (computing time); 
analysis of error messages and report to ISTAT: depends on the number of error messages; 
compilation of BDT tables and performance of consistency test: just under one month; 
storage of BDT tables in "private" section of EUROFARM system: takes place automatically 
with compilation of BDT tables; 
transfer of BDT tables (after release) from the "private" to the "public" section of the 
EUROFARM system: about 0.5 days; 
in all (not including analysis of error messages): around 1 month. 
For a sample survey, the times required are slightly shorter than those given above. 
The EUR 12 BDT tables were available: 
for the 1989 basic survey: 31 months after the final supply deadline for individual data; 
for the 1993 survey: 11 months after the final supply deadline for individual data. 
This outline illustrates that the survey results could be available much earlier if the competent 
bodies of the Member States succeeded in: 
meeting the deadlines for the supply of individual data; 
delivering "clean" individual data at the first attempt; 
delivering the checked control tables at the same time and 
markedly reducing the time needed for the release procedure. 
11 
4, Measures in view of the conclusions from the first report of the Commission to the 
Coundn (November 1992) 
4.1 Next basic survey 
Pursuant to Council Regulation (EEC) No 571/88, the 1989/90 basic survey was carried out in the 
period 1988 to 1991. This very long period proved to be very disadvantageous. As was to be 
feared, it took a long time for the results of the 1989/90 survey to become available for all 
Member States (mid-1994). What is more, as the results aggregated at Community level reflect 
situations in the individual countries recorded at widely varying times, the comparability of the 
data is restricted. In its first EUROFARM report, therefore, the Commission proposed that the 
reference period for the next basic survey (around the year 2000) be limited to one year. At its 
meeting on 20 November 1992, the Council's "Agricultural Statistics" working party consequently 
called upon the Commission to "take the necessary steps to ensure that a formal proposal to this 
effect was put to the Council"1). 
Tne responsible services of the Commission thereupon submitted (in 1995) a draft Council 
Regulation in form of a working document to the competent working party of the Agricultural 
Statistics Committee for discussion. This draft Council Regulation envisages that the validity of 
Regulation 571/88 be extended by a ten-year period and that a new basic survey (1999/2000) and 
three interim surveys (2003, 2005, 2007) be carried out in that period. 
The said draft Council Regulation is to be submitted to the Council by mid-1996 at the latest. 
4.2 Setting-up of a common information system at subregional level 
In its first EUROFARM report, the Commission stated that the geographical breakdown of survey 
results envisaged in Regulation 571/88 was not sufficient to obtain aggregated statistical 
information on areas or subrogions coming into consideration for certain Community funding 
projects, e.g. objective zones Nos 1 or 5b. In view of the statistical requirements of Community 
regional policy, the Commission set up an information system at subregional level (in Eurostat) 
and therefore proposed that the results of the 1989/90 basic survey be used for that information 
system. The Commission proposed that, to this end, the competent services of the Member States 
should provide Eurostat with either 
the corresponding municipality code for each holding or 
corresponding tabular survey results in the desired subregional breakdown, 
based in each case on the individual data of all the holdings covered in the 1989/90 basic survey. 
At the meeting of the Council's working party on 20 November 1992, several Member States 
expressed certain reservations about this proposal by the Commission; they referred in particular 
to possible difficulties in respect of maintaining the statistical confidentiality of the survey data 
collected. 
The Commission was also confronted with other difficulties concerning its proposal, e.g. 
difficulties of an administrative and financial kind. It therefore intends to address these questions 
again m connection with the next basic survey in 1999/2000. For example, in the list of 
characteristics to be surveyed in the next basic survey it is planned to record for each holding 
surveyed the objective zone in which it is located. 
1 ) Meeting report of Council working party No 10272/92; AGRISTR 36 
12 
4.3 EUROFARM and the special situation of the F.R. of Germany 
In accordance with paragraphs 6 and 8.1 of Annex II to Regulation 571/88, Germany does not 
forward individual data but tabular data for the BDT tabular database. With the Community 
having adopted common arrangements for the protection of confidential statistical information 
(Regulation 1588/90^, and in view of the measures which have been taken in Eurostat2) and in the 
context of the EUROFARM system for maintaining statistical confidentiality of collected data, the 
Commission is of the opinion that the derogation granted to the F.R. of Germany (paragraph 6 of 
Annex II to Regulation 571/88) is no longer necessary. This view was shared by several 
delegations at the meeting of the Council's "Agricultural Statistics" working party. 
The result of the proposed discussions between the German bodies and Eurostat is that Germany 
is prepared to supply individual data in future (from the 1997 survey onwards) if the statutory 
conditions are created, i.e. if Council Regulation 571/88 is correspondingly amended in good time 
(by the late summer of 1996 at the latest). 
4.4 Financing and development of the EUROFARM project 
In its first EUROFARM report, the Commission stated that the funding estimated in Regulation 
571/88 for the development and operation of the EUROFARM system in the period 1989 to 1998 
had not been sufficient Additional funds of around 400 000 ECU annually were required. As the 
EUROFARM system has to be adapted to every change to the structure surveys and to the 
typology, it is to be expected that, in future too, appreciable funding will be required every year in 
order to assure the processing of individual data and the dissemination of the tabular survey 
results. 
The financial requirements for the EUROFARM work should therefore be appropriately taken into 
account when making the planned amendment to Regulation 571/88 with regard to the farm 
structure surveys after 1997. 
4.5 Direct access for competent services of Member States to data which are semi-
aggregated at national level 
At the meeting of the Council's working party on 20 November 1992, it was proposed that a data 
subset with data which are semi-aggregated at national level be set up in Eurostat, to which the 
competent services of the Member States should have direct on-line access. While this proposal 
met with the support of several delegations, a number of delegations expressed distinct misgivings. 
The proposal has not been pursued any further so far. The Commission still has major misgivings 
about this proposal, as such a project would hardly be reconcilable with the exacting demands 
made on the EUROFARM system as regards the protection of individual data 
^ Council Regulation (EEC) No 1588/90 of 11.06.1990, in OJ L151 of 15.06.1990. p. 1 
2) See also Eurostat handbook: "Protection of confidential data in Eurostat", Luxembourg, March 1994 
13 
4.6 Other questions 
A delegation had suggested that a justification procedure be introduced for every kind of intended 
survey in order to ensure that statistical information only be collected as and when required and at 
appropriate intervals in each case. It also felt the survey threshold should be redefined. 
In the context of the preparatory work for the draft of a new Council Regulation for surveys after 
1997, the competent working party of the Agricultural Statistics Committee held an in-depth 
discussion of the significance and periodicity of the farm structure surveys and other aspects of 
these surveys. 
5. Amendments needed to Council Regulation (EEC) No 571/88 
5.1 Preliminary note 
Experience with the Community agricultural structure surveys has shown that the survey 
programme and the methodology used for the surveys should be left unchanged wherever possible 
and, with a view to the surveys carried out after 1997, should only be amended if new 
developments in agriculture, agricultural technology or changes to the thrust of the common 
agricultural policy make this necessary. 
The Commission therefore intends to propose to the Council that the validity of Council 
Regulation (EEC) No 571/88 be extended for a further 10 years. To this end, the Commission has 
drawn up a draft Council Regulation amending Council Regulation 571/88 and presented it to the 
relevant Working Party1) of the Agricultural Statistics Committee for discussion. 
A large majority of the Working Party supports this initiative. Agreement has already been reached 
on most questions. 
The Working Party attached particular importance to the following issues: 
5.2 Period of validity of the legal basis 
In the light of the discussions held thus far, a large majority of the Member States believes that the 
legal instrument for surveys carried out after 1997 should be valid for a ten-year period. The 
Commission will therefore propose that the Council take appropriate action. 
5.3 Reference year for the next basic survey 
Although it would be desirable to allow only one reference year for the next basic survey, several 
Member States have pointed out that other major surveys are planned for the turn of the century 
(e.g. a census of population), and that a degree of flexibility is therefore required. A clear majority 
of Member States is in favour of using the years 1999/2000 as period for carrying out the next 
basic survey. Ireland and Greece would like to carry out the next basic survey in 2001. 
5.4 Periodicity of the surveys 
A large majority of Member States is also in favour of maintaining the periodicity used hitherto, 
i.e. a basic survey in 1999/2000 and intermediate surveys in 2003, 2005 and 2007. The 
Commission will therefore propose this arrangement to the Council. 
*) The Working Party on Agricultural Structure Statistics. 
14 
5.5 List of survey characteristics 
The established practice of laying down the list of survey characteristics for each survey in a 
Commission Decision, after consultation with the appropriate Working Party and after the 
Standing Committee on Agricultural Statistics has given its opinion, has proved its value in that it 
allows flexible responses to changes in the thrust of the CAP and in agricultural practice. The 
Commission therefore intends to propose to the Council that these arrangements be maintained. It 
has the support of the relevant departments in the Member States. 
The agricultural structure surveys are the most comprehensive surveys in European agriculture. 
They are labour-intensive and expensive. The scope for surveying additional characteristics (e.g. in 
the environmental and ecological field) is therefore limited. Several Member States have 
repeatedly pointed out that the structure surveys should not be burdened with problematic 
questions, which could jeopardize the willingness of the information providers to take part in the 
survey and also the reliability of the information obtained. The Commission therefore takes the 
view that the list of survey characteristics should continue to be drawn up by the appropriate 
Working Party with the accustomed care and taking account of all relevant arguments. 
5.6 Revision of the Community classification of agricultural holdings (typology)1) 
The competent departments of several Member States and the Directorate-General for Agriculture 
have repeatedly called for a thorough revision of the Community typology. There is a perceived 
need for simplification, which would make the typology less susceptible to changes in the thrust of 
the CAP. 
The Commission intends to take up these suggestions as soon as possible and, assuming that the 
typology is amended, bring it more into line with the NACE2>. 
5.7 Regional breakdown of survey results 
In the wake of the CAP reform and for the purposes of regional policy, there is a growing need for 
structural statistics with a high level of regional breakdown. The Commission therefore intends to 
propose an additional breakdown by "objective zones" for the next basic survey. Moreover, the 
Commission proposes to define each agricultural holding surveyed in the 1999/2000 basic survey 
by a code allowing for tabular results to be obtained at sub-survey district level. 
5.8 Community contribution to survey costs 
In the light of the Working Party's deliberations, almost all Member States have stressed that it will 
not be possible to carry out the Community agricultural structure surveys on a biennial or triennial 
basis without a Community contribution towards the cost. They argue that a contribution of this 
type is essential for covering variable survey costs, such as the costs of temporary survey staff and 
EDP. The Member States also argue that a Community contribution would be justified on the 
grounds that the structure surveys primarily serve the Commission's own information needs. 
Examples given include the highly detailed information collected on agricultural labour force and 
the high level of regional breakdown of the survey data. 
!) Commission Decision No 85/377/EEC of 7 June 1985 establishing a Community typology for agricultural 
holdings 
2) Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community. 
15 
ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(96) 370 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 17 03 
Catalogue number ; CB-CO-96-373-EN-C 
ISBN 92-78-07270-2 
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