Decision No 1445/2000/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 May 2000 on the application of aerial-survey and remote-sensing techniques to the agricultural statistics for 1999 to 2003
Date: 2000-05-22
Institutions: Council of the European Union, European Parliament
Subjects: EU financing, agricultural statistics, area of holding, crop yield, management information system, remote sensing

4.7.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 163/1

I

(Acts whose publication is obligatory)

DECISION No 1445/2000/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

of 22 May 2000

on the application of aerial-survey and remote-sensing techniques to the agricultural statistics for
1999 to 2003

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE
EUROPEAN UNION,

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

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),

Acting in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article
251 of the Treaty (2),

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

Council Decision 94/753/EC of 14 November 1994 on
the continued application of remote sensing to agricul-
tural statistics during the period 1994 to 1998 (3) lapsed
on 31 December 1998.

There is an especially felt need for information on land
use and on the condition of crops in the context of new
developments in the common agricultural policy and
with a view to enlargement, in particular for the analysis
of interactions between agriculture, the environment and
the countryside.

for

The detailed rules
implementing the measures
contained in Decision 94/753/EC should be adjusted and
reorganised in the light of the experience gained and the
results achieved.

In cooperation with the Member States concerned, an
aerial-survey system should be introduced to collect the
necessary data on land use and other variables of
interest.

Since the agrometeorological system for
forecasting
yields and the monitoring of crop condition are now at
the operational stage, they should be separated from
those measures requiring further research.

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

(11)

(12)

The remote-sensing activities requiring further research
and development
in the period 1999 to 2003 are
covered by the fifth framework programme in the field
of research and development (4).

Provision should already be made for incorporating into
the operational activities covered by this Decision, where
appropriate, the developments in methodology that may
result from that research.

It is also appropriate to provide that the Commission
should be able to delegate the implementation of these
measures, under
to Community or
supervision,
national bodies responsible for the production of agri-
cultural statistics or to bodies recognised by them.

its

The statistical measures employing aerial-survey and
remote-sensing techniques comply with the principle of
subsidiarity, to the extent that the Member States and
the Commission share the responsibility for, and imple-
mentation of, the various measures in accordance with
criteria of efficiency and feasibility.

These measures contribute to improving the Communi-
ty's
and
monitoring the common agricultural policy.

framing, managing

statistical

tools

for

This Decision lays down, for the entire duration of the
programme, a financial framework constituting the prin-
cipal point of reference, within the meaning of point 1,
second subparagraph, of the Declaration by the Euro-
pean Parliament,
the Council and Commission of 6
March 1995 (5), for the budgetary authority during the
annual budgetary procedure.

The measures necessary for the implementation of this
Decision should be adopted in accordance with Council
Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down
the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers
conferred on the Commission (6),

(1) OJ C 396, 19.12.1998, p. 25.
(2) Opinion of

the European Parliament of 13 January 1999 (OJ C
104, 14.4.1999, p. 43), confirmed on 16 September 1999, Council
Common Position of 24 January 2000 (OJ C 83, 22.3.2000, p. 80)
and Decision of the European Parliament of 12 April 2000.

(3) OJ L 299, 22.11.1994, p. 27.

(4) OJ L 26, 1.2.1999, p. 1.
(5) OJ C 102, 4.4.1996, p. 4.
(6) OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23.

L 163/2

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Official Journal of the European Communities

4.7.2000

HAVE DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

1.
Over a five-year period starting on 1 January 1999, an
aerial-survey project shall be implemented at Community level
in agricultural statistics. The use of remote-sensing shall also be
continued,
in particular with the agrometeorological system
being made operational.

Taking into account data already collected by the Member
2.
States,
the measures referred to in paragraph 1 shall be
designed, at Community level and if possible in areas of
interest to the Community, more specifically to:

— collect data needed to implement and monitor the common
agricultural policy and analyse interactions between agricul-
ture, the environment and the countryside,

— provide estimates of the areas under the principal crops,
the condition of crops is monitored until
— ensure that
harvesting, so as to enable early estimates of yields and
production to be made.

After a three-year period starting on 1 January 1999, it
3.
shall be decided,
in the light of experience and under the
procedure laid down in Article 5(2), whether to continue with
the measures, amend them for the remaining two years or
terminate them.

Article 2

The Commission shall ensure that these measures are imple-
mented within available funding limits.

National bodies responsible for the production of agricultural
statistics or bodies recognised by them may be involved on a
voluntary basis in the implementation of these measures.

In accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 5(2), the
Commission shall report annually to the Member States on the
implementing arrangements, the methods used, the utilisation
of appropriations, the evaluation of the results and the work
programme for the following year.

Article 3

framework for

The financial
this
programme for the period 1999 to 2003 is hereby set at
EUR 12,5 million.

the implementation of

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

Article 4

The measures necessary for
this
Decision shall be adopted in accordance with the management
procedure referred to in Article 5(2).

the implementation of

Article 5

The Commission shall be assisted by the Standing

1.
Committee for Agricultural Statistics.

2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 4 and
7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the
provisions of Article 8 thereof.

The period laid down in Article 4(3) of Decision 1999/468/EC
shall be set at three months.

Article 6

By 31 July 2003 at the latest, the Commission shall present a
report to the European Parliament and the Council on the
implementation of
the
resources made available, accompanied, where appropriate, by
any proposals on how aerial-survey and remote-sensing tech-
niques may continue to be used for agricultural statistics.

these measures and on the use of

Article 7

This Decision shall take effect on the day following that of its
publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.

It shall apply from 1 January 1999 to 31 December 2003.

Done at Brussels, 22 May 2000.

For the European Parliament

For the Council

The President

N. FONTAINE

The President

J. GAMA