REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL on the operation of the EUROFARM-project (according to Article 13 of Regulation 571/88/EEC)
Date: 1996-07-23
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: agricultural holding, agricultural statistics, database, economic survey, policy on agricultural structures

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 
2.3.2 

Changes to the list of characteristics 
Checking  table  consistency  and  simplifying  the  standard  tabulation 
program and the approval procedure 
Calculation of the coefficient of variation (relative standard error) 
Modification of the rounding procedure 
Bringing  the  typology  into  line  with  the  reform  of  the  Common 
Agricultural Policy 
Impact of the procedure for calculating the relative standard error on 
the  FILTER  programme  and  on  the  standard  table  generating 
programme 

2.3.3 
2.3.4 
2.3.5 

2.3.6 

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 

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17  03 

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ISBN  92-78-07270-2 

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