EN    EN  COMMISSION OF THE E UROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 30.3.2004 
COM(2004) 216 final 
2003/0199 (COD)   
Amended proposal for a 
REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL 
concerning statistics on the Information Society 
 
(presented by the Commission pursuant to Article 250 (2) of the EC Treaty) 
 
 2    2003/0199 (COD) 
Amended proposal for a 
REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL 
concerning statistics on the Information Society 
 
(Text with EEA relevance) 
1. B ACKGROUND  
– 25 August 2003: Adoption by the Commission and transmission of the 
proposal to the Council and to the European Parliament (COM(2003) 509 – 
2003/0199(COD)) 
– The Council Working Group ‘Statistics’ discussed the Commi ssion proposal at 
meetings between 8 October and 11 December 2003. 
– 29 January 2004: Opinion of the Eur opean Parliament – first reading. 
2. O BJECTIVE OF THE COMMISSION PROPOSAL  
The Commission proposal on a Euro pean Parliament and Council Regulation on statistics on 
the Information Society is based on Article 28 5 (1) in accordance with  the procedure laid 
down in Article 251 (2) of the EC Treaty. The European Council in Sevill e in June 2002 
called for a legal basis to ensure regular and co mparable data provision in Member States and 
enable greater use of official statistics on the information society. The proposed regulation 
provides that basis for National Statistical Institutes to present the statistics needed for the Structural Indicators and the eEurope benchmar king process, while at the same time being 
flexible enough to respond to new needs. It sets up a framework for a flexible system of statistics on the information society through surveys on ICT usage in enterprises and in 
households and by individuals. Two annexes defi ne the respective modules which will later 
be implemented by a Commission Regulation. Bo th the framework regu lation and its annexes 
have been drawn up after extensive consultati on with Member States and are limited in 
duration in order not to create a ny permanent stat istical burden. 
3. C
OMMISSION OPINION ON THE AMENDMENTS ADOPTED BY THE PARLIAMENT  
 Amendments accepted by the Commission 
The Commission agrees to take into account in its modified proposal all  amendments adopted 
by the European Parliament in its plenary session on 29 January 2004. 
 
 3    Editorial changes for clarification  : 
– Amendment no 1 on recital 8 : 
Editorial change of the recital to be in line with amendmen t no 7 on Article 8 
paragraph 2. 
– Amendment no 2 on recital 11 : 
Editorial change for better understanding. 
– Amendment no 3 on article 1 :  
Editorial change for better understanding. 
– Amendment no 4 on article 3 paragraph 1 : 
Editorial change to official language, and for clarification to distinguish between 
mandatory requirements for the eEurope benchmarking process and less strict 
requirements for Structural Indicators. 
– Amendment no 5 on article 5 : 
Editorial change to make the goa l of the manual more explicit. 
– Amendment no 6 on article 6 paragraph 1 : 
Editorial change to clarify that only aggregate data sha ll be transmitted under this 
Regulation. 
– Amendment no 7 on article 8 paragraph 3 : 
Editorial change for clarification. 
– Amendment no 8 on article 9 : 
Editorial change in line with interinstitutional agreement. 
– Amendment no 9 on article 10 : 
Editorial change for clarification. 
– Amendment no 11 on annex 1, point c), d) : 
– Point c): editorial change for clarification; 
– Point d): editorial change to underline the principle already expressed in c) for 
the characteristics. 
 
 4    – Amendment no 14 on annex 2, point c) and d) : 
– Point c): editorial change for clarification; 
– Point d): editorial change to underline the principle already expressed in c) for 
the characteristics. 
Other changes  
– Amendment no 7 on article 8 :  
Paragraph 1: to sharpen the scope for th e implementing measure; paragraph 2: to 
ensure quality of results. 
– Amendment no 11 on annex 1 point e) : 
The restriction to three regions will not hamper the process of developing 
Information Society statistics over the set time frame. 
– Amendment no 10 on annex 1, point a) and Amendment no 13 on annex 2 point 
a): 
For clarification the amended text is in troducing a comprehensive summary on what 
is expected from the module. 
– Amendment no 12 on annex 1, point ea) and Amendment no 15 on annex 2, 
point ea) new : 
The Commission would have preferred not to  regulate the execution of pilot studies 
but can accept the proposal, as  it will contribute to ensuring the quality of the results. 
4. C ONCLUSION  
Having regard to Article 250, paragraph 2, of the EC Treaty, the Commission modifies its 
proposal for the Regulation of the European  Parliament and of the Council concerning 
statistics on the Information Society as indicated above.