EN Official Journal of the European Union C 186/1

RECOMMENDATION OF THE EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK

of 27 March 2014

concerning the common rules and minimum standards to protect the confidentiality of the statistical information collected by the European Central Bank assisted by the national central banks

(ECB/2014/14)

2014/C 186/01

THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK,

Having regard to the Statute of the European System of Central Banks and of the European Central Bank and in particular to Article 5, Article 12.1, Article 14.3 and Article 38 thereof,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2533/98 of 23 November 1998 concerning the collection of statistical information by the European Central Bank (1), and in particular to Articles 8, 8a and 8b thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Guideline ECB/1998/NP28 (2) establishes the common rules and minimum standards required by Article 8(3) of Regulation (EC) No 2533/98, which ensure a basic level of protection of confidential statistical information collected by the European Central Bank (ECB) assisted by the national central banks of the Eurosystem.

(2) In this respect, while it is recognised that the statistical information needed to fulfil the ECB’s statistical reporting requirements is not the same in respect of Member States whose currency is the euro as of the Member States with a derogation, Article 5 of the Statute of the European System of Central Banks and of the European Central Bank applies with respect to all Member States; whereas this fact, together with Article 5 of the Treaty on European Union, implies an obligation to design and implement at national level all the measures that Member States consider appropriate in order to carry out the collection of the statistical information needed to fulfil the ECB’s statistical reporting requirements, and the timely preparations in the field of statistics in order for Member States with a derogation to adopt the euro (3).

(3) There is an increased need to exchange confidential statistical information among the European System of Central Banks (ESCB) members for the exercise of the tasks of the ESCB,

HAS ADOPTED THIS RECOMMENDATION:

I.

Application of Guideline ECB/1998/NP28

The addressees of this Recommendation should apply the provisions laid down in Guideline ECB/1998/NP28 in relation to confidential statistical information received from another ESCB member, and should confirm this by way of an agreement entered into with the other ESCB members.

II.

Final provisions

1. This Recommendation is addressed to the national central banks of Member States whose currency is not the euro, in so far as applicable and in so far as such national central banks participate in the transmission of confidential statistical information within the ESCB.

2. This Recommendation shall apply from 1 April 2014.

Done at Frankfurt am Main, 27 March 2014. The President of the ECB Mario DRAGHI

(1) OJ L 318, 27.11.1998, p. 8.

(2) Guideline ECB/1998/NP28 of 22 December 1998 concerning the common rules and minimum standards to protect the confidentiality of the individual statistical information collected by the European Central Bank assisted by the national central banks (OJ L 55, 24.2.2001, p. 72).

(3) See recital 17 of Regulation (EC) No 2533/98.