Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) on Community coordination in drawing up business registers for statistical purposes
Date: 1992-09-03
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU statistics, company structure, information system, statistical method, type of business

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 

COM(92) 352 final 

Brussels,3  September  1992 

I':*. 

*£ 

Proposal  for a 

COUNCIL REGULATION  (EEC) 

on Community coordination 
in drawing up business registers 
for statistical purposes 

(presented by the Commission) 

Explanatory  memorandum 

1) 

All the  Member  States  of  the  Community  have business  registers,  which  may  differ  widely 
in coverage, scope or  quality of  information. 

Harmonized  registers  are  essential  for  the  production  of  comparable  statistics  in  the 
Member States. 

2) 

3) 

4) 

5) 

6) 

7) 

8) 

Obviously,  the establishment  of the Single  Market  from  1993 onwards  will  further  increase 
the  need  to  improve  the  comparability  of  statistics  produced  to  meet  Community 
requirements  and  information  on the structure of  enterprises  and groups  of enterprises,  and 
in particular on mergers, buy-outs or  takeovers,  will  be essential.  It should  also be stressed 
that  certain  statistical  data  are  not  currently  available  in  sectors  with  a  large  number  of 
small and medium-sized  enterprises,  such as services, since such enterprises  are not covered 
by a register used for  statistical purposes. 

The aim  of the  Community  project  is to  promote  in the  Member  States  the  introduction  of 
national directories  managed  by the national  statistical  institute but  compiled  in  an  identical 
fashion  and  thus  containing  compatible  information  enabling  consistent  Community 
statistics to be obtained. 

These  registers  will  make  it  possible  to  institute  and  coordinate  statistical  surveys  by 
providing  instruments  for  monitoring  the  information  which  enterprises  are  asked  to 
provide.  Another  important  novel  feature  is  that  these  registers  will  enable  external  trade 
data  to  be  integrated  into  business  statistics  at  intra-Community  level  by  reference  to  the 
Intrastat file or more generally via links with customs  files. 

The  introduction  of  this  new  tool  can  be  expected  to  ease  the  administrative  burden  on 
enterprises  substantially  since,  by  linking  separate  administrative  sources,  it  will  make  it 
possible to make better use of existing  information. 

The  registers  of  legal  units  mentioned  in  the  proposal  can  be  used  as  a  basis  for  the 
harmonized  registers of businesses and  local  units required  for  Community  statistics. 

Council  Regulation  (Euratom,  EEC)  No  1588/90  of  11  June  1990  authorizes  the 
transmission  of  data  subject  to  statistical  confidentiality  to  the  Statistical  Office  of  the 
information 
European  Communities.  The  present  draft  prohibits  the  transmission  of 
permitting direct  identification  of units. 

The  introduction  of  these  registers  meets  the  requirements  of  the  relevant  Commission 
departments  and  the  national  statistical  offices.  It  will  permit  harmonious  development  of 
Community statistics  in the Single Market. 

Proposal  for  a Council  Regulation  (EEC) 
on Community  coordination 
in drawing up business  registers 
for  statistical  purposes 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Economic  Community,  and  in  particular 
Article 213 thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal  from  the Commission, 

Whereas  the  Single  Market  will  increase  the  need  to  improve  statistical  comparability  in  order  to 
meet Community  requirements and,  in order  to improve this comparability,  common definitions  and 
descriptions  have to  be  adopted  for  the  field  of  enterprises  and other  relevant  statistical  units  to  be 
covered; 

Whereas registers have to be drawn up and updated  in order  to collect  information  on these units; 

Whereas  there  is  a  growing  need  for  information  on  the  structure  of  enterprises  and  current 
Community  statistics are not able to meet this  need; 

Whereas  business  registers  for  statistical  purposes  are  a  necessary  tool  in  keeping  track  of  the 
structural  changes  in the economy  brought  about by  such operations  as joint  ventures,  partnerships, 
mergers, buy 
outs and takeovers; 

Whereas the important  role played  by public  undertakings  in the national  economies  of the  Member 
States  has  been  acknowledged,  particularly  in  Commission  Directive  80/723/EEC'  ',  which  also 
defines  such  undertakings  in  its  Article  2,  and  whereas  they  should  therefore  be  identified  in 
business registers; 

Whereas  some  statistics  are  not  currently  available,  particularly  in  sectors  with  many  SMEs,  such 
as services, because a register of these businesses for  statistical  purposes does not  exist; 
Whereas business  registers  are one element  in reconciling  the conflicting  requirements  for  increased 
information  on  businesses  and  simplifying 
their  administrative  procedures,  in  particular  by 
collecting  and  exploiting  existing  information  in  administrative  and  legal  registers,  above all  in  the 
case of SMEs, pursuant to Council Recommendation  90/2467EEO 2'; 

Whereas  the  business  register  for  statistical  purposes  represents  a  basic  element  of  information 
systems  on  businesses,  enabling  statistical  surveys  to  be  set  up  and  coordinated  by  providing  a 
sampling  base,  possibilities  of  extrapolation  and  means  of  monitoring  the  replies  from  businesses, 
in particular those referred  to in Directives  78/660/EEO3'  and  83/349/EEC^; 

Whereas  the  setting  up  of  a  new  statistical  collection  system  covering  trade  in  goods  and  services 
between  Member  States  necessitates  a  list  of  those  persons  required  to  give  information,  and  it  is 
desirable  to  derive  this  register  of  persons  required  to  give  information  from  a  central  business 
register used for  statistical  purposes; 

QI No L 141 of 2A9Q, p. 55 

(1)  OJ No L  195 of 29.7.1980 
m 
<3>  Of  No L 222 of 14.8.78, p.  11 
(4)  Q* No L  193 of  18.7.83, p.  1 

Whereas the business registers for statistical  purposes are at different  stages of development  in each 
Member State and the long and costly development of these registers can only  be carried out in two 
stages,  the  first  of  which  must  relate  to  harmonizing  the  basic  units  used  in  these  registers  in 
accordance with an established timetable; 

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 

Article 1  Aims 

1. 

The  Member  States  shall  set  up  harmonized  registers  of  legal  units,  local  units  and 
enterprises which can be used  for statistical  purposes.  The registers of  enterprises shall be 
drawn up from those of  legal  units,  and the registers  of local  units shall be drawn up from 
those of enterprises. 

Article 2  Definitions 

For the purposes of this Regulation, the terms listed below shall be defined  as follows: 

1. 

Legal units include: 

2. 

3. 

-  legal  persons  whose  existence  is  recognized  by  law  independently  of  the 
individuals or institutions which may own them or are members of them; 

- natural persons who are recognized as legal units in their own right; 

this regulation applies to legal units that exercise, wholly or partially,  a productive activity. 

Enterprise:  the  enterprise  is  the  smallest  combination  of  legal  units  which  is  an 
organizational  unit  producing  goods  or  services  and  which  enjoys  a  certain  degree  of 
autonomy  in  decision-making,  especially  in  the  allocation  of  its  current  resources.  An 
enterprise carries out one or more activities at one or more locations. 

Hereinafter the connection between the enterprise and the legal unit is expressed as follows: 

- 

the enterprise is attached to one or more legal units; 

- 

the legal unit(s) is (are) responsible for the enterprise. 

Local  unit:  the  local  unit  is  an  enterprise  or  part  thereof  (e.g.  a  workshop,  factory, 
warehouse, office,  mine or depot) situated  in a geographically  identified  place.  At or from 
this place  economic  activity  is carried  out for  which -  save for  certain exceptions  - one or 
more persons work (if only part-time) for one and the same enterprise. 

Hereinafter the connection between the local unit and the enterprise is expressed as follows: 

- 

the local unit is dependent on an enterprise. 

Article 3  Scope 

1. 

In accordance with the definitions  given  in Article 2, and  subject  to the limitations  specified 
in this Article, registers shall be compiled of 

-  all  enterprises  carrying  out  an  economic  activity  contributing  *r  fhe  ^^oss  domestic 

product at market prices (GDP); 

- 

the legal units responsible for  these enterprises; 

- 

the local units dependent on these enterprises. 

This requirement shall  not, however,  apply to households 

- 

- 

insofar  as the goods they produce are for own  consumption; 

insofar  as the services they produce involve the letting of own or  leased property  (Group 
70.2 of the General  Industrial  Classification  of Economic Activities  within the European 
Community  (NACE  Rev.l)  drawn  up  by  Council  Regulation  (EEC)  No  3037/90  of  9 
October  1990<5) 

The inclusion of 

enterprises  whose main activity falls  within sections A,  B or  L of  NACE Rev. 1, 

the legal units responsible for  them, 

the local units dependent on them, 

shall be optional. 

2. 

The enterprises,  legal units and local units referred  to in paragraph  1 of this  Article shall be 
registered  in accordance with the timetable and priorities set out  in Annex 2. 

Article 4  Register characteristics 

The units appearing  in the register  shall be characterized  by  an  identity  number  and  the  descriptive 
details specified  in Annex  1. 

Articles  Updating 

1. 

The following  shall be updated at least once a year: 

a) 

b) 

c) 

entries to, and removals from,  the register; 

the variables of subparagraphs  b and f of Annex  1.1; 

for  units which  are the subject  of annual  surveys,  the variables  of  subparagraphs  b, 
c, d, e and h of Annex  1.3. 

(5)  OJ No L 293of 24.ia.1990, p.  I. 

jr 

s a general  rule,  information  obtained  from  administrative files  or  annual  surveys  shall be 
updated annually, other information  being updated every four years. 

2. 

At the end of the first  quarter of each calendar  year, the Member States shall make a copy 
of the register as it stands on that date,  and keep this copy for  ten years for  the purpose of 
ani'yr*. 

Article 6  Access to information 

When so requested by the Commission, the Member States shall 

1. 

2. 

carry out statistical analyses of the register and transmit the results to the Commission; 

transmit  to  Eurostat,  in  accordance  with  the  procedures  and  limitations  laid  down  in this 
Article,  the  information  contained  in  the  register  and  referred  to  in  this  Regulation, 
excluding information  enabling direct identification  of the units; 

The information transmitted shall include data which are confidential  under national  legislation, and 
the fact that they are confidential  shall be explicitly mentioned. 

When  a majority  of  Member  States  so  propose,  a  request  to  transmit  information  referred  to  in 
paragraph 2 of this Article shall be submitted to the Committee referred  to in Article 8 according to 
the procedure set out in Article 9. 

Article 7  Access to administrative and legal registers 

Each National Statistical Institute shall be authorized,  within its own Member State, to have access 
to  those  administrative  or  legal  files  containing  information  covered  by  this  Regulation  and  to 
extract this information for statistical purposes. 

Article 8  Committee 

The rules  of application for  Articles 3, 4, 5 and 6 and for  Annexes  1 and 2 of this Regulation, as 
well  as  the  measures  required  to  adapt  these  rules,  shall  be  decided  by  the  Commission  after 
consulting the Statistical Programme Committee set up by Council Decision of  19 June  1989 (OJ L 
181, 28.6.1989, p.47), and in accordance with the procedure set out in the following Article. 

Article 9  Procedure 

1. 

2. 

The representative of the Commission shall submit to the Committee a draft of the measures 
to be taken. The Committee shall deliver its opinion on the draft,  within a time limit which 
the Chairman may lay down according to the urgency of the matter, if necessary by taking a 
vote. 

The opinion shall be recorded  in the minutes; in addition, each Member State shall have the 
right to ask to have its position recorded in the minutes. 

3. 

The  Commission  shall  take the  utmost  account  of  the  opinion  delivered  by  the  Commit  JC. 
It  shall  inform  the  Committee  of  the  manner  in  which  its  opinion  has  been  taken  into 
account. 

Article 10 

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

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirely and directly applicable in all  Member States. 

Done at Brussels, 

} 

Annex 1 

1. 

The record of a legal unit shall contain the following  information: 

a. 

b. 

c. 

d. 

e. 

f. 

g. 

h. 

i. 

j. 

identity number; 

name,  address  (including  postcode),  and  optionally:  telephone,  electronic  mail  and 
fax numbers and telex address; 

requirement to publish annual accounts (YES/NO); 

date of incorporation for legal persons or date of official  recognition as an economic 
operator for natural persons; 

date on which the legal unit ceases to be legally responsible for an enterprise; 

legal form of the unit; 

name and address of  any non-resident  legal  unit,  other than a natural person, which 
controls the legal unit; 

identity number of the legal  unit in the register which controls the legal unit; 

character  of  "public  undertaking"  within  the  meaning  of  Commission  Directive 
80/723/EEC (YES/NO) (for legal persons only); 

reference to other associated files,  including customs files,  in which the legal  unit is 
recorded and which contain information which can be used for statistical purposes; 

k. 

reference to the INTRASTAT register. 

g" 

The record of a local unit shall contain the following  information: 

a. 

b. 

c. 

d. 

e. 

f. 

g. 

h. 

i. 

j. 

k. 

identity number; 

name, address  and other identifying  information  as set out  in paragraph  l.b  of  this 
Annex; 

activity code at the 4-digit (class) level of NACE Rev. 1 ; 

secondary activities, if any, at the 4-digit level of NACE Rev. 1 (optional); 

size of labour force, as indicated in paragraph 3.e of this Annex; 

date of commencement of the activities whose codes are given in c.  above; 

date of final  cessation of activities; 

geographical  location code (territorial units); 

reference  to  associated  registers  in which the local  unit  appears  and which  contain 
information which can be used for statistical purposes; 

identity  number  in  the  register  of  the  enterprise  on  which  the  local  unit  is 
dependent; 

activity  carried  out  in  the  local  unit  constituting  an  ancillary  activity  of  the 
enterprise on which it depends (YES/NO). 

T 

The record of an enterprise shall contain the following  information: 

a. 

b. 

c. 

d. 

e. 

f. 

g. 

h. 

identity number; 

identity number(s) of the legal unit(s) legally responsible for the enterprise; 

activity  code  of  the  enterprise  at  4-digit  (class)  level  of  NACE  Rev.  1.;  the 
classification  of  an enterprise  is determined  by the  class  of  NACE  Rev. 1 in which 
the principal  activity, or all the activities, of the enterprise is, or are, included; 

secondary  activities,  if  any,  at  NACE  4-digit  level,  if  they  amount  to  10% of  the 
total for all activities of the gross value added at factor cost for each, or account for 
5%  or  more  of  national  activity  of  this  type;  this  point  concerns  only  enterprises 
which are the subject of surveys; 

size: measured  by the number of  persons  employed,  or failing  that by  allocation to 
one of  the following  classes according  to the  number of  persons  engaged:  0;  1; 2; 
3-4;  5-9;  10-19;  20-49;  50-99;  100-149;  150-199;  200-249;  250-499;  500-999;  1 
000;  2 000;  3  000  etc.;  persons  working  less  than  three-fifths  of  normal  hours 
worked by full-time workers should be counted as one-half of  a full-time  worker; if 
the enterprise's workforce varies seasonally,  it shall be allocated to the size class in 
which its annual average employment falls; 

date of commencement of activities of the enterprise; 

date of final  cessation of activities of the enterprise; 

net  turnover  from  the  sale  of  goods  and  services 
(except  for  financial 
intermediaries); failing this, allocation to a size class defined  as follows  (in millions 
of  ecus):  0+  -1;  1  +  -2; 2+  -4; 4+  -5; 5+  -10;  10+  -20;  20+  -40;  40+  -50; 
50+  -100;  100  +  -200; 200+  - 500; 500+  -1000;  1000+  - 5000; 5000+  (optional 
for turnover not exceeding ECU 2 million). 

I. 

net  assets  (assets  after  allowing  for  depreciation 
intermediaries only) (optional). 

less  liabilities  -  financial 

to 

Annex  2 

The  legal  units  defined  in  Article  2  and described  in  Annex  1 shall  be  registered  in  the  following 
order of  priority: 

priority  A:  the  information  shall  be entered  in the register by  31  December  1993. 

priority  B: the information  shall  be entered  in the register  by  31  December  1995. 

Enterprises  attached  to  the above  legal  units, as defined  in Article 2  and described  in Annex  1, shall 
be  allowed  an  extra  year  for  each  level  of  priority.  If  an  enterprise  is  attached  to  more  than  one 
legal  unit,  the  legal  unit  with  the  higest  priority  shall  be  taken  to  calculate  the  time  limit  for  the 
enterprise  and the  local  units which are dependent on  it. 

Local  units shall  be allowed  one year longer than the enterprises on which they are dependent. 

In the table  below: 
0<  means  "employs  staff" 
0  means  "does not employ  staff 

A:  Agriculture,  hunting  and forestry  (OPTIONAL) 
B:  Fishing  (OPTIONAL) 
C:  Mining  and  quarrying 
D:  Manufacturing 
E:  Electricity,  gas  and  water  supply 
F:  Construction 
G:  Wholesale  and retail  trade; repair of  motor véhicules, 

motorcycles  and personal  and  household  goods 

H:  Hotels and  restaurants 
I:  Transport,  storage  and  communications 
J:  Financial  intermediation 
K:  Real  estate,  renting  and business  activities 
L:  Public administration  and  defence; 

compulsory  social  security 

M:  Education 
N:  Health  and social  work 
O:  Other  community,  social  and personal  service  activities 

legal 

natural 

persons 

persons 

0< 

0 

A 

A 
A 
A 
A 
A 
A 
A 
A 
A 
A 
A 
A 
A 
A 

B 

B 
A 
A 
A 
A 
A 
A 
A 
A 
A 
A 
A 
A 
A 

B 

B 
B 
B 
B 
B 
B 
B 
B 
B 
B 
B 
B 
B 
B 

-f"? 

FINANCIAL  STATEMENT 

Draft Council Regulation  (EEC) on Community  coordination  in drawing up 
business registers for statistical purposes 

1.  Title of operation 

Community support  for the setting-up, in the Member States, of 
harmonized business registers for statistical purposes.  This 
operation forms part of the pluriannual operations relating to 
statistical  information policy. 

2. Budget headings  involved 

- Financial prospects - Heading 3. Internal policies. 

- Subsection B-5 - Consumers, internal market, industry and 

innovation. 

- Chapter B5-60 - Statistical  information policy connected with the 

completion of the internal market, the economic  and monetary 
environment  and Community policies. 

Line B5 - 600 - operating appropriations  (former B5-6000, 10, 10 
partial, 20, 30) 

3.  Legal basis 

Article 213 of the Treaty 

4.  Description of operation 

4.1 Specific objectives of operation 

The aim of the Community project  is to promote the setting-up, in the 
Member States, of national business registers managed  by the national 
statistical  institutes, but compiled  in an identical way, so that they 
contain data which are compatible and can therefore be used to provide 
meaningful Community statistics. 

These registers will allow statistical  surveys to be carried out and 
coordinated, and at the same time will constitute a means of monitoring 
what is required  from the enterprises. 

*l 

A new feature, which should be emphasized, is that these registers will 
allow external trade statistics to be incorporated  into business 
statistics, either at intra-Community level by reference to the 
INTRASTAT records, or more generally by using customs records. 

This operation will contribute to accommodating the significant 
increase in requirements  for harmonized data which the Community must 
meet, with regard to; 

the operation of the Single Market, which calls for a high degree 
of transparency  in the structures and flows of industrial and 
service enterprises  in all Member  States, including the new system 
of statistics on trade in goods and services between the Member 
States after 1992. 

the provision of statistical  information to enterprises which will 
enable them to become more competitive both in the internal market 
and vis-à-vis the rest of the world. 

4.2 Duration 

One-off  operations 

4.3 Target population 

- The beneficiaries of this operation are: the Community 
Institutions and the governments of the Member States. 

5.  Classification of expenditure or of revenue 

5.1 NCE 

5.2 DA 

5.3 Type of income envisaged: NONE 

6.  Type of expenditure or revenue 

6.1  100% subsidy 

NO - 

the Community's contribution represents only a small part 
of the actual cost of collecting the data, i.e. some 1 to 
5%, since the Community's statistical activities are 
decentralized to a very  large extent. Nevertheless, the 
expenditure is essential to provide an incentive for 
standardizing the data collected, processing  them and 
forwarding them to Eurostat. 

6.2 Subsidy for cofinancing with other sources in the public and/or 

private sector 

YES -  cofinancing  from the public sector  (budgets of the national 

statistical  services). 

Al 

6.3 

Interest  subsidy 

NO 

6.4 Other 

NONE 

6.5  Should the operation prove an economic success, is there provision 
for all or part of the Community's  financial contribution to be 
reimbursed? 

NO 

6.6 Hill the proposed operation cause any change in the level of 

revenue? 

Indirectly, the statistical work on the own resources  indicators  (GDP 
in this case) may, through  its results, reduce the general  level of the 
budget. 

7.  Financial  impact 

7.1 

Method of calculating  total cost of operation: 

-  1992 Budget:  ECU 

200.000 

-  1993 PDB: 

ECU 

800.000 

- Total 

ECU  1.000.000 

7.2 Breakdown of operation 

- operating  appropriations 

B5-60 

The details of appropriations by policy are given  in Annex 4 

BREAKDOWN 

1992 BUDGET 

1993 PDB 

1. The single market 

ECU 200 000 

ECU  800.000 

TOTAL 

ECU 200.000 

ECU  800.000 

4*f 

7.3 Administrative expenditure directly  linked to this operation 

NONE 

7.4  Indicative schedule of commitment  appropriations 

Operating appropriations and support appropriations  - Chapter  B5-60 

INDICATIVE 
BUDGET 
1992 

PDB 

• 

• 

PROGRAMMING 

1993 

1994 

1995 

1996 

ECU 200.000 

ECU 800.000 

ECU 800.000 

ECU 800.000  ECU 800.000 

8.  What anti-fraud measures are planned  in the proposal  for the 

operation? 

a)  For the contracts and agreements entered  into by the Commission, 

payment  is solely on results. 

b)  The statistical  information  is considered to be an objective 

instrument  for evaluating Community action programmes and thus 
contributes to consolidating the anti-fraud provisions. 

9.  Elements of cost/efficiency  analysis 

9.1.  Objectives 

The specific objectives mentioned  in 4.1. are linked to the provisions 
of the Treaty relating to: operation of the Single Market. 

9.2.  Grounds for the operation 

1 

to improve the balance between the demand  for new statistics and 
budgetary resources by counting on gains in productivity  and 
developing tools which will allow the same volume of data to be 
obtained with  fewer resources; 

2 

to reduce the time required to draw up the data and  forward them to 
the Commission, thus increasing their usefulness to policy makers; 

AS 

3 

4 

to improve the quality and reliability  of the data produced by the 
Member States, so as to provide users with top-quality  statistics 
on which they can take appropriate policy decisions. 

to reduce the workload on the units under  survey, and  in particular 
the enterprises which have to reply to the  statistical 
questionnaires. 

As regards the operation of the Single Market, the Commission 
proposes that a network of harmonized Community  business  registers 
should be set up to serve as a basis for all business statistics in 
the Commumity. This harmonized register could be used to prepare 
the sampling bases for surveys without the need to transpose the 
national tools, which are not always completely  suitable  for 
collecting Community  statistics. In this way, the national  systems 
will be able to use the same system  for all Community surveys, 
which will save time in drawing up the data and prdoduce more 
reliable Community  statistics. Lastly, this project will yield 
considerably more information on enterprises, without  the need for 
new surveys, thus reducing the burden placed on enterprises by the 
obligation to reply to statistical questionnaires. 

9.2.1. Cost: 

This operation will be financed mainly by the Member  States 
(Section 1, item  6.1), which have a well-established  structure  for 
collecting and processing data.  If the Commission  had to finance 
this programme  in full, the cost would be extremely  high  for a less 
reliable product. The Community's contribution  covers only  a small 
proportion of the real cost. 

The number of surveys and compilations  from  administrative 
registers and  files has grown considerably  in recent years. 

9.2.2. Spin-off effect: 

the results of this operation will contribute to improving  the 
statistical  information used  in work on the gross national  product 
(GNP) of the Member States; 

the system  for collecting  statistical  information  is very 
decentralized, the national systems having a responsibility  within 
each Member State.  The Community  statistical  programme  is becoming 
an integral part of the national statistical programmes, thereby 
contributing to the establishment of a European  statistical area; 

the spin-off effect towards a European  statistical  area will  lead 
to further  integration of the national  statistical  systems at 
Community level. 

9.2.3. Multiplier effects: 

/iG 

the Community  statistical programme generates an impetus within the 
budgets of the national statistical systems, which make a great 
contribution to implementing it; 

benefits for the world of research and the universities, which gain 
unique scientific data for socio-economic studies and analyses. 

9.3.  Monitoring and evaluation of the operation 

9.3.1. Performance indicators selected: 

The performance indicators selected  for evaluating progress are of two 
kinds, viz.: 

budgetary:  comparing the plan with the execution of the budget. 

programming: to compare the statistical output with the existing 
programme and with the estimated budget for its execution. 

A. execution of the budget 

1992 

1993 

1994 

1995 

1996 

Following years 

Appropriations 

Appropriations 

committed 

paid 

200 000 

800.000 

800.000 

800.000 

800.000 

- 

100 000 

500.000 

800.000 

800.000 

300.000 

400.000 

9.3.2. Procedures and frequency of evaluation 

The statistical programme is continuously monitored by a TBPS 
(Statistical Programme Monitoring  File), which lays down for each 
operation  (219), and in particular the present one, the operational 
objectives and resources required on the basis of the 
programming/execution principle.  At the beginning of each year 
Eurostat produces a report on the progress of its programme during the 
preceding year.  This report  falls into three parts, as follows: 

the first summarizes, for each policy, the main achievements  in the 
year; 

the second describes, for each operation, the objective  laid down 
and the results achieved; 

the third gives statistics on the utilization of human, budgetary, 
computer and administrative resources during the preceding year. 

qjft 

1* 

The Council Resolution of 19 June 1989 on the Statistical  programme of 
the European Communities  (1989 to 1992) requests the Commission to 
submit a final report on the implementation of the Statistical 
programme by June 1993. The Commission  intends to have this report 
drawn up by leading representatives of socio-professional, scientific 
and government  circles in order to ensure a high degree of objectivity. 

9.4.  Consistency with the financial  programme 

9.4.1. Is the operation  included  in the financial progamme of the DG 

for the years concerned? 

YES:  financial programme  1993-1997  - DG34 

9.4.2. To which more general objective laid down  in the DG's  financial 

progamming does the aim of the proposed operation  correspond? 

The single general aim represented by the implementation of the 
Statistical Programme of the European Communities  (1993 to 1997) 
(currently being drawn up). 

10. Administrative expenditure  (Part A of the Budget) 

10.1. Will the proposed operation  involve an increase in the number of 

Commission  staff? 

NO 

0% 

IMPACT OF THE PROPOSAL ON ENTERPRISES 
and particularly on small  and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) 

Proposal  for  a Council  Regulation  on  Community  coordination  of the development  of  business 
registers for  statistical  purposes. 

Reference  number  (Register): 

The proposal 

1. 

Administrative burden  and  information  requirements 

Although  differing  from  one  Member  State  to  another,  national  legislation  generally 
restricts the  access  by the  National  Statistical  Institutes  to  national  administrative  and  legal 
files  containing  information  which  could  be  used  for  statistical  purposes.  This  results  in  a 
costly  administrative  burden  on  enterprises,  and  particularly  SMEs,  to  which  they  often 
object  since  questionnaires  from  a  variety  of  sources  cover  similar  subjects.  Thus,  the 
information  requested  from  enterprises  is often  redundant  at  national  level  and  at  the  same 
time disparate  at  Community  level,  which  means that  it  is  impossible  to  draw  up  statistics 
which  are comparable and,  above all, can be integrated  at this level. 

The  need  for  harmonized  information  on  enterprises,  which  can  be  used  for  statistical 
purposes,  will  increase still  further  with the establishment  of the single  market. 

The Commission  has frequently  mentioned  the need  to  lighten  the  administrative  burden  on 
in  particular  Council  Recommendation  No  90/246/EEC  relates  to  the 
SMEs,  and 
implementation  of  a policy  of  administrative  simplification  in favour  of  small  and  medium-
sized enterprises  in the Member States. 

Harmonized  business  registers  are  one  way  of  lightening  the  administrative  burden.  They 
can  only  be  produced  under  Community  legislation  guaranteeing  the  statistical  authorities 
access  to  the  relevant  information  already  contained  in  national  administrative  and  legal 
files  and defining  the contents of such  registers with  a view to harmonizing them. 

2. 

The enterprises  concerned 

The proposal  is  aimed  at  listing  in  due  course  all  enterprises  established  on  the  economic 
territory  of  the  Member  States,  covering  all  sectors  of  activity  corresponding  to  the 4-digit 
NACE codes with the following  exceptions: 

1) 

2) 

3) 

households  as  regards  both  production  which  does  not  form  the  subject  of  market 
transactions  and renting,  leasing and hiring  activities; 

extra-territorial  bodies; 

agriculture,  hunting,  forestry,  fishing,  public  administration  and  defence:  these 
sectors  are optional. 

3. 

The administrative burden on  enterprises 

The  proposed  Regulation  does  not  recommend  any  specific  survey  and  would  thus  not 
increase the administrative burden  if it came into  force. 

i9 

The registers,  drawing  on information  in existing  administrative  and legal  registers,  would 
obviate  the  need  for  enterprises  to  answer  the  same  questions  several  times.  They  would 
become  sources  of  statistical  information  in  turn  and  would  permit  the  use  of  high-level 
techniques  such  as panels,  which,  through judicious  extrapolation,  substantially  reduce the 
volume of surveys. 

The  European  dimension  of  these  registers,  which  use  the  same  units,  have  the  same 
characteristics and  refer to  a common  classification  of  activities,  would  make it possible to 
provide  enterprises  with  results  which  cannot  at  present  be  obtained  by  comparing  non-
harmonized national statistics. 

This  would  give  enterprises  a  better  insight  into  the  European  market  as  a  whole  and 
provide them with an overview of national markets in their sector. 

4. 

Economic  impact  on  employment, 
competitiveness 

investment,  the  establishment  of  enterprises  and 

It  is  very  difficult  to  evaluate  the  possible  effects  which  an  improved  knowledge  of  the 
market resulting  from harmonized  statistics  together with  a simplification  of  administrative 
procedures  would  have  on  the  establishment  of  enterprises  or  on  employment.  Any  such 
influence could only be indirect. 

5. 

Provisions specific to SMEs 

The item "turnover" would be optional for turnover not exceeding  ECU 2 million. 

6. 

Concertation with the two sides of industry 

On  28  November  1991,  at  one  of  the  meetings  arranged  by  DG  XXIII  for  consultations 
with  the  professional  organizations  representing  SMEs  at  Community  level,  a  Eurostat 
representative  presented  the  draft  Regulation  to  the  main  organizations  (listed  in  the 
Annex).  Questions  were  raised  about  a  possible  new  data  collection,  but  when  this  was 
discounted, the draft Regulation was approved by the professional  organizations. 

Although,  broadly  speaking,  it  approves  the  general  thrust  of  the  draft  Regulation,  the 
UNICE  sent  DG  XXIII  and  Eurostat  comments  about  the  contents  of  the  registers  (cf. 
ZT/BV/nm/1.6.C.l.  of  11 March  1992).  The  Director-General  of  Eurostat  emphasized  in 
his reply  that the objective was  to harmonize  concepts already  used  by  the  Member  States 
and not to demand new types of data which would be used for purposes other than statistics 
(cf.  DG34-8788 of 9 April  1992). 

-2 

2-o 

ISSN 0254-1475 

COM(92) 352 final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

17 

Catalogue number : CB-CO-92-366-EN-C 

ISBN 92-77-47007-0 

( office for Official  Publications of the European Communities 

lv-2985 Luxembourg