Proposal for a DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL amending Decision 96/411/EC on improving Community agricultural statistics

(presented by the Commission)

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

Decision 96/411/EC on improving agricultural statistics [1] has put at the Commission's disposal a flexible tool which allows it to adapt statistical applications to changes in information needs.

[1] OJ L 162 of 1.7.1996, p. 14.

Decision 2298/2000/EC [2] of the European Parliament and of the Council extended the tool introduced by Decision 96/411/EC until 2002.

[2] OJ L 263 of 18.10.2000, p. 1.

This tool, and in particular its extension, has helped to further the process of adapting the system of Community agricultural statistics to changes in the statistical information needs of the common agricultural policy.

This tool has already been used and technical action plans have been adopted for the years 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2002.

This process has not yet been completed, however. Indeed, these efforts will need to continue in the coming years, to take account on the one hand of the planned changes to the CAP and, secondly, of EU enlargement, which will significantly increase the number of Member States which may need to make major adaptations to their agricultural statistics.

The Commission considers that the tool established by Decision 96/411/EC should be extended until 2007, to accompany the 2003-2007 Community statistical programme, and that Article 6(4) should be amended as required under the Interinstitutional Agreement of 6 May 1999 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and improvement of the budgetary procedure (point 33).

2002/0044 (COD)

Proposal for a DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL amending Decision 96/411/EC on improving Community agricultural statistics

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 285(1) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission [3],

[3] OJ ... of ..., p. ...

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty [4],

[4] Opinion of the European Parliament of ....

Whereas:

(1) Council Decision 96/411/EC of 25 June 1996 on improving Community agricultural statistics is designed to allow Community agricultural statistics [5] to respond more satisfactorily to the information needs arising from the common agricultural policy.

[5] OJ L 162 of 1.7.1996, p. 14. Decision as last amended by Decision No 2298/2000/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 263 of 28.10.2000, p. 1.)

(2) The report by the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on progress in implementing Decision 96/411/EC [6] makes a positive assessment of the application of that Decision.

[6] COM(2001) ......

(3) The process of adapting national statistical systems to the needs arising from changes in the common agricultural policy has not yet been completed.

(4) Both the internal development of the common agricultural policy and the external context of enlargement to the east, and the opening of the new round of multilateral trade negotiations, call for improved identification of statistical needs and, where appropriate, for measures to complete the current regulatory framework laying down the scope of the statistical information on the common agricultural policy which Member States are obliged to make available to the Commission.

(5) Decision No..../.../EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of ... [on the Community statistical programme 2003-2007] [7] recommends continuing the actions to improve existing agricultural statistics and to plan future developments with a view to responding satisfactorily to the needs of the common agricultural policy.

[7] OJ...,..., p....

(6) The tool introduced by Decision 96/411/EC has helped to further the process of adapting the system of Community agricultural statistics to changes in the statistical information needs of the common agricultural policy. However, this process has not yet been completed. Decision 96/411/EC should therefore be amended in order to extend this process.

HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Decision 96/411/EC is amended as follows:

1) In Article 3, the words "during the period 2000 to 2002" are replaced by the words "during the period 2003 to 2007";

2) In Article 6, paragraph 4 is replaced by the following:

"4. The financial framework for the implementation of this programme for the period 2003 to 2007 is hereby set at EUR 5 million.

The annual appropriations shall be authorised by the budgetary authority within the limits of the financial perspective."

3) In Article 11, the figure "2002" is replaced by the figure "2007".

4) In Article 11, the phrase "having consulted the Standing Committee on Agricultural Statistics" is deleted.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the third day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.

Article 3

This Decision is addressed to the Member States

Done at Brussels,

For the European Parliament For the Council

The President The President

LEGISLATIVE FINANCIAL STATEMENT

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1. BUDGET LINE(S) + HEADING(S)

B2-513: Restructuring the systems of agricultural surveys

2. OVERALL FIGURES

2.1. Total allocation for action (Part B): EUR million for commitment

5.000.000 Euro

2.2. Period of application:

2003-2007

2.3. Overall multiannual estimate of expenditure:

(a) Schedule of commitment appropriations/payment appropriations (financial intervention) (see point 6.1.1)

(EUR million to three decimal places)

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(b) Technical and administrative assistance and support expenditure (see point 6.1.2)

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(c) Overall financial impact of human resources and other administrative expenditure (see points 7.2 and 7.3)

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2.4. Compatibility with financial programming and financial perspective

|X| Proposal is compatible with existing financial programming.

| | Proposal will entail reprogramming of the relevant heading in the financial perspective.

| | Proposal may require application of the provisions of the Interinstitutional Agreement.

2.5. Financial impact on revenue: [8]

[8] For further information, see separate explanatory note

|X| Proposal has no financial implications (involves technical aspects regarding implementation of a measure).

3. BUDGET CHARACTERISTICS

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4. LEGAL BASIS

Article 285 of the Treaty

5. DESCRIPTION AND GROUNDS

5.1. Need for Community intervention [9]

[9] For further information, see separate explanatory note..

5.1.1. Objectives pursued

Council Decision 96/411/EC, as last amended by Decision 2298/2000/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, aims to ensure that Community agricultural statistics respond more satisfactorily to the information needs arising from the reform of the common agricultural policy. Towards this end, the Member States are taking all the measures necessary to adapt their national agricultural statistical systems, taking into account the objectives, criteria and priorities set out in the Decision.

The Community participates financially in the costs incurred by the Member States in adapting national systems or for the preparatory work to satisfy new or growing needs under a technical action plan. There is a time limit to the Community contribution. It aims to facilitate trials of or the introduction of data collection methods and systems which meet the statistical information requirements set out in the annual action plans.

5.1.2. Measures taken in connection with ex ante evaluation

This proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council aims to extend the action decided in 1996 for an additional period of five years. It is accompanied by an exhaustive report to the European Parliament and the Council listing all the actions conducted during the period 1996/2001, the results achieved and the problems and challenges facing the Community system of agricultural statistics in the coming years. This shows that the record is positive overall, both in terms of improving statistical systems and the timeliness of the information received, but in view of current developments in the common agricultural policy this effort should be continued for a further five years. Moreover, since a series of changes were already made to the basic Decision in 2000, in the light of the experience gained and to increase the efficiency of the measure, it is proposed to extend the provisions in force without additional amendments.

5.1.3. Measures taken following ex post evaluation

In 1999 the Commission submitted an initial report on the implementation of Council Decision 96/411/EC, together with proposals for adapting the current arrangements, in particular by a more optimal use of resources and better planning and assessment of activities (COM(99)338 final and COM(99)332 final). These new provisions came into force in 2001 (owing to delays in the co-decision procedure). At present, these provisions appear to meet the stated objectives fully and so they do not need to be amended again for the period 2003-2007.

5.2. Actions envisaged and budget intervention arrangements

According to the priorities defined in the basic Decision and to the criteria laid down therein, each year the Commission decides which fields are to be the focus of actions carried out the following year by Member States to improve statistical systems. The Member States participate in these action plans on a voluntary basis and inform the Commission of their proposed actions in each of these fields. Based on a selection of Member States' requests, made primarily according to relevance and the Community interest of the projects presented, and taking into account budgetary availability, the Commission draws up an action plan for the year in question and defines the level of the Community contribution to each action. The objectives to be attained, year by year, from actions receiving a Community contribution are defined in an annex to the Commission Decision approving the annual action plans. The Community contribution is paid in two instalments: 30% as an advance after notification and approval of the work plan for the action in question; the balance of 70% is paid when a report on the implementation of each completed project has been presented to and approved by the Commission, following an opinion of the Standing Committee on agricultural statistics.

- the target population(s): national statistical bodies, Community statistical system, Community institutions, agricultural statistics users;

- the specific objectives set for the programming period: to complete the adaptations under way, to cover new statistical needs arising from current reforms in the common agricultural policy (integrating environmental concerns into the CAP, consideration of the multi-functional role of agriculture, etc.) and to arrange the adaptations called for by the technological development of new data collection tools;

- the concrete measures to be taken to implement the action; adapting priorities to take account of changes in the CAP and in information collection techniques; drawing up annual action plans which reflect these changes in priorities;

- the immediate outputs of each action: improving the quality and timeliness of the statistical information available, covering new fields of interest, optimising available resources both at national and Community level;

- the anticipated contribution in terms of achieving the general objective: consolidation and strengthening of the Community statistical system; improving the information needed to design, manage and evaluate the common agricultural policy; these actions will pave the way for a European statistical area and thus for greater integration of national statistical systems;

- - budgetary intervention arrangements: the Community contribution is subject to a ceiling for each Member State and for each action. The Member States will bear the remainder of the cost of the actions. The participation rate varies from one action to another and from one Member state to another: in general, the participation rate is fixed on the basis of objective criteria (area, output, labour force, etc). However, Community participation is often fixed at a flat rate. This is decided by the Commission after consulting the Standing Committee on Agricultural Statistics.

5.3. Methods of implementation

Direct management by the Commission, using regular staff only. The Member States are consulted both on adoption of the action plans and on approval of the reports on implementation. hey are also kept informed of work in hand and the progress achieved in the different field of activities at periodic working party meetings convened by Eurostat at regular intervals in Luxembourg.

6. FINANCIAL IMPACT

6.1. Total financial impact on Part B - (over the entire programming period)

6.1.1. Financial intervention

Commitments (in EUR million to three decimal places)

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6.2. Calculation of costs by measure envisaged in Part B (over the entire programming period) [10]

[10] For further information, see separate explanatory note.

Commitments (in EUR million to three decimal places)

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If necessary, explain the method of calculation.

7. IMPACT ON STAFF AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENDITURE

7.1. Impact on human resources

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8. FOLLOW-UP AND EVALUATION

8.1. Follow-up arrangements

Every year, the Commission draws up a technical action plan after consulting the Standing Committee on Agricultural Statistics (CPSA). The annual technical action plan is implemented by the national statistical institutes, which are required to submit to the Commission a report on its implementation and the statistics obtained.

8.2. Arrangements and schedule for evaluation

The specific projects are followed up periodically in the framework of Eurostat's working groups with the participation of the Member States.

With regard to the action overall, it is planned that before 1 November 2007 the Commission will present a report on its implementation, and, where necessary, proposals to extend the action.

9. ANTI-FRAUD MEASURES

The Community contribution is paid to the Member States in two tranches, the first of which is paid after acceptance by the Commission of the work plan for each action, the balance being paid once the report on implementation of the completed action has been approved. The Commission carries out all on-the-spot checks it deems necessary in collaboration with the competent authorities of the Member States.