CELEX: 51988PC0163
Language: en
Date: 1988-04-14
Title: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION adopting a pilot project on remote sensing applied to agricultural statistics (presented by the Commission)

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COM (88) 163
Vol. 1988/0049
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 ---pagebreak--- COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                               COM(88 ) 163 final
                                               Brussels , 14 April 1988
                            Proposai for a
                           COUNCIL DECISION
    adopting a pilot project on remote sensing applied to
                       agricultural statistics
                 (presented by the Commission )
                 I'""--'      ...      ,   .;
                  % l Ï ' " • •>L j
 ---pagebreak---                               EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
Under the common agricultural policy there is an entire system of statisitical
data collection and agricultural forecasting which must be improved and
amplified , particularly if it is to face the new policy requirements .
This will involve firstly identifying and measuring the acreages given over to
the major crops , especially those which attract aids on an area basis .
The agricultural markets cannot be managed properly , furthermore , without
forecasts of agricultural production in the regions , in the Community , and
worldwide , made at the right time .
In this connection remote sensing could improve the accuracy , objectivity ,
speed and frequency with which statistics would be collected .
Remote sensing could also improve significantly the arrangements for
forecasting Community agricultural production and indeed establish a
"footprint " covering the whole world .
That said , it must be stressed that remote sensing would also enable savings
to be planned in the future in the cost of statistical surveys and in EAGGF
expenditure .
The purpose of the pilot project on remote sensing applied to agricul tureal
statistics is precisely to continue the work that has already been carried out
in this area , the aim being to achieve a semi-operational stage in the various
measures planned on the expiry of a 5 to 10-year period .
The Commission is asked , in conclusion , to endorse this project and to forward
 it to the Commission for a decision .
 ---pagebreak---                                  Proposai for a
                                COUNCIL DECISION
  adopting a pilot project on remote sensing applied to agricultural statistics
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the Euroepan Economic Community , and
in particular Article A3 thereof ,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ( 1 ),
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament ( 2 ),
Whereas , in order to meet the needs of the common agricultural policy , action
is needed to identify and measure as accurately and rapidly as possible the
areas under main crops , and in particular those for which production aid is
granted on an area basis ;
Whereas , for the management of the agricultural markets , reliable
regionally-based estimates of production must be available in good time ;
Whereas the availability of forecasts for the production of crops which have
the greatest impact on world markets , in third countries , is also relevant to
the management of agricultural markets and for the independence of Community
decision-making ;
Whereas remote sensing offers a response to these needs , which have not been
met to date by the existing agricultural statistics and forecasting systems ;
whereas it could enhance the accuracy , objectivity , speed and frequency with
which observations are made when statistical data are collected ; whereas it
could help perfect agricultural forecasting models , and in particular
establish regionally-based agricultural forecasting models ;
(1 )
(2)
                                                                                0
 ---pagebreak---                                        - 2 -
Whereas remote sensing must be incorporated into the existing statistical
systems to make good specific deficiencies or weaknesses and to replace to
better advantage certain aspects of the work currently being carried out ;
Whereas remote sensing could have applications - in its own right or as an
adjunct - in the establishment and collection of agricultural statistics ;
Whereas the experience gained by Member States in incorporating remote sensing
in their own statistical systems should be turned to good account , in
consultation with the Standing Committee on Agricultural Statistics ;
Whereas remote sensing could help align the Member States' various
agricultural statistical systems , by establishing a common means of collecting
and transmitting information ;
Whereas remote sensing could enable savings to be planned in tin- future ,
either directly in the cost of drawing up sampling plans and of collecting
statistical data , or indirectly in EAGGF expenditure ;
Whereas steps should be taken to develop the operational applications of
remote sensing to agricultural statistics in the short , medium and long term ,
and to continue the measures embarked upon ;
 Whereas these operational applications of remote sensing to agricultural
 statistics must be conducted in a manner which is compatible with the CORINE
 programme ( 3) on the establishment of an information system on the state of
 the environment in the Community ,
  HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS :
 ( 3 ) OJ No L 176, 6.7.1985 , p. 14
 ---pagebreak---                                         - 3 -
                                      Artide 1
1.  The pilot project on remote sensing applied to agricultural statistics ,
    summarized in the Annex , is hereby adopted .
2.  The planned duration of the project is 5 years , starting on 1 January
    1989 ; it shall be carried out by the Joint Research Centre in close
    collaboration with national laboratories and bodies .
3.  The amount of financing considered necessary for the total duration of the
    project   is 35,5 million ECU , divided into annual tranches as shown in
    the Annex .
A.  The Council shall review the project , including its financial aspects , on
    the basis of the first report referred to in Article 3 , before 30 April
    1991 .
                                      Article 2
The Commission shall be responsible for the execution of the project .
                                      Article 3
1.  The Commission shall present to the European Parliament and to the Council
    by 31 December 1990 a report on the progress of the work
    and , where necessary , proposals on the review of the project as provided
    for in Article 1(A ).
2.  On completion of the project , and in any case not later than 31 July 199A ,
    the Commission shall report to the European Parliament and to the Council
    on the results of the activities provided for in this Decision and on the
    use of the financial resources allocated to these measures .
                                      Article A
This Decision shall take effect on 1 January 1989 .
Done at                                                        For the Counci L
                                                                                 r
 ---pagebreak---                                                VI A / 2 - 1686
                         АНГ1ЕХ
THE 10 YEAR PROJECT FOR THE APPLICATION OF REMOTE SENSING
           IN THE B.C. AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS
 ---pagebreak---             THE 10 YEAR PROJECT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY FOR THE APPLICATION
                   OF REMOTE SENSING IS THE E.C. AGRICULTURE STATISTICS
Remote Sensing seems to be the most promising technique to upgrade the
agriculture statistical system .
The primary necessity is to distinguish , identity and measure the area of
crops of significant importance . The second is to estimate production in time
for making decisions . When such basic statistics are available , then
forecasting can be considered .
The results of this plan should fit into a framework which can be called an
Advanced Agriculture Information System .
In the plan , emphasis will be placed upon remote sensing , but in operational
use , this technique being seen as complementary to more conventional data .
The semi-operational projects within the plan will test this kind of
complementarity .
While the development effort is planned to be extended over 10 years , the
present proposal considers in soma dotail only tho first 5 years . During this
period , the plan should already lead to an integration of new methods in the
E.C. agricultural information system . Cereals and oil seeds , which are
generally growing on flat terrain and large fields , will be considered first .
When feasible , vineyards and olive trees will SIBO be dealt with because of
their economic importance .
Taking into account priorities , methodologies to be developed and the
requirements of satellite data , the plan has been organized in 7 actions
( Table 1 ). The actions 1-5 each correspond to a given operational objective .
Action 6 is support ( ground surveys ) necessary for all the actions . Action 7
consists of several long term studies , not connected with one particular
operational objective .
For each action , specific methodology will be developed and development work
will be undertaken in support of the semi-operational objective ( action
1 - 2 -4 -5 ) or as the very core of the action ( actions 3-7 ): see table 2 .
In respect to the shift towards operational applications , the actions concern
three different time schedules :
- short term         (3 -   5 years ): actions no . 1 , 2 and 4
- medium-term        (5 - 10 years ): actions no . 3 and 5
- long-term          ( more than 10 years ): action no . 7 .
The costs of the         project  are summarized , for the next 5 years , in Table 3 .
 ---pagebreak---                                               TABLE I : Outline of the Agriculture Project
The Action                Main orientation         Geographic localization           Input                        Output
1 . Regional inventories  Semi-operational         3–4 selected administrative
     ( acreage )                                                                     High resolution              Precise regional
                                                   regions                           satellite data               inventories ( plus
                                                                                                                  localized statistics )
2 . Vegetation conditions Semi-operational        Selected regions and sampling      Low resolution               Vegetation monitoring ,
     and yield indicators plus development        of sites , then all of Europe      satellite data               alarm for main crope
                          work
                                                                                     ( mainly AVHRR )
3 . Models of yield       Development work                                           Low res . satellite          Yield prediction
     prediction
                                                                                    data , high reeol .
                                                                                    sat . data , meteo ¬
                                                                                    rological data
 · ■ European rapid esti¬ Semi-operational        Sampling of some 40 or 50         High resolution              Estimates of surface
     mates of acreages                            sites throughout Europe           satellite data
     and potential yield                                                                                         prediction of yield at
                                                                                                                 European level for main
                                                                                                                 crops
5 . Advanced agriculture  Semi -ope rat . and     Sampling of some 40 or            All data available
     information system   development work
                                                                                                                 Integration of precedinj
                                                  50 sites throughout Europe                                     methods with
                                                                                                                 conventional ones
6 . Area frame sampling   Support for other       Whenever it is needed ,           Satellite imagery
     associated surveys   actions
                                                                                                                 Support documents data
                                                  mainly on 3-4 regions and         to build area frame          for other actions
                                                  40 - 50 eites
7 . Long term studies     Development work        -
                                                                                    -New sat . data              Improved inventories anc
                                                                                      ( microwaves ..)           yield prediction
                                                                                   -New analysis methods
                                                                                      ( expert systems , GIS ..)
                                                                                                                                          !
 ---pagebreak---                    V |       ·> ν ·.                      TABU 2: Méthodologies and Spécifie Studies
                    •  ■:* ·:·. >· .
       Action                            Methodology                            Accuracy Statements        Spécifie Studios
  1 . Regional inventories               Regression estimate
                                                                                                          Improved classification and
                                                                                                          pling strategies
 2. Vegetation conditiona               Spatial or temperai                '   Comparisco siti, conven    –Radiometric *■ geom . correction
      and yield indicators              comparison of V.I.                     tional methods            –Resolution needed
                                        and T     ( lntegrated                                           –Modelling of curves
                                        indices ... )
                                                                                                         -Evapo transpiration
 3 . Models of yield                   -Improvement of actual                  Comparison with conveo-   -Special eaphasis on wine and
      prediction                         agromet models                        tional methods              olive production for conventio¬
                                          . bet ter rep re B . of stations                                nal models
                                          . improwing the data
                                       -Integrotion of sat . data
                                         in agromet models
                                       -Oer i ving agronomic parame¬
                                         ters ( ETR )
                                      –Direct relationship
A. European rapid esti ¬              Computer-assisted photo¬                Assessment by specific
     mates of acreages                interpretation                          sampling surveys
     and potential yield
     Advanced agriculture             Integration of all availa¬              Economic comparisons                       •
     information system               ble results                             between methods
    Area frame sampling              Strati fi cati on - segnen ta t ion     Accuracy sta tenente of   - Au toma L i zed procedures
    associated surveys               sample-surveys on si te, sur¬           inventori es              -Sampling scheme
                                     veys wi th farmers                                                -Type of surveys
    Long– tern studies               - Using new sensors with the            Comparison of results                            <#
                                       preceding methods                     or timeliness
                                     -CIS–expert systems
 ---pagebreak---                                                                                      - 6 -
        Actions               1987         :       1988                1989                  1990            :         1991                   1992                 1993
                        Staff : Spécifie     Staff    Spécifie   Staff : Spécifie    Staff       Spécifie      Staff      Spécifie     Staff    Spécifie     Staff
                              : funds                  funds                                                                                                          Spécifie
                                                                        :    funds                 funds                     funds                 funds                funds
                              ( '000 ECU )          ( '000 ECU )        ( '000 ECU )           ( '000 ECU )               ( '000 ECU )          ( '000 ECU )        ( '000 ECU )
 No . 1  '                0.5      1.665        3         1.275      3           975       3             975         3             975      3           975     3         900
 No . 2                   0.5         800       2            700     2         1.200       2         1.200           2         1 . 200     2          1.200    2        1 200
 No . 3                                         1            300     1           600       1             900         1             900     1            900    1          900
 No . 4                                         1            750     1           950       1         1.150           1         1.350       1         1.550     1        1 350
 NO . 5                                         2            400     2           500       2             600        2              700     2            800    2       1 050
 No . 6                                         1                    1                     1                         1                     1                   1
 No . 7                               300                    600                 600                     600                      600                   600               600
 Coord 1n .+ support                            2                    2                     2                        2                      2                   2
 Specific funds                     2.765      12         4.025     12         4.825     12          5.425         12          5.725      12         6.025    12      6 000
 Cost of staff                        250                 1.500                1.500                 1 . 500                   1.500                 1.500             1 500
 Total cost                         3.015                 5.525                6.325                 6.925                     7.225                 7.525            7 500
Observations : ( 1 ) In 1989 the staff cost will figure in item B 730 ( new nomenclature )
 ---pagebreak---                                                          VI / 1811 / 88-EN ( PSTA-38 )
FINANCIAL STATEMENT concerning :
Proposal for a Council Decision adopting a pilot project on remote sensing
applied to agricultural statistics .
1.  Budget heading : B 7305 - chapter 73 - item 730
    Title : support to the Commission
2.  Legal basis :    Article 43 of the Treaty
3.  Classification : Non-compulsory expenditure
4.  Purpose /description of the measure : Development of remote sensing as an
    operational aid for identifying and measuring the main agricultural crops ;
    incorporation of remote sensing in the agricultural statistics network ;
    surveillance of the state of crops and yield prediction . The measures
    will be carried out by the JRC working with national laboratories and
    bodies .
5.  Method of calculation :
5.1 Nature of expenditure : Financing of JCR measures and contracts with
    national laboratories and bodies
5.2 Community contribution : 100 %
5.3 Calculation : Based on the development plan prepared by DG XII and the
    Ispra JRC and the requirements in terms of staff , materials and work under
    contract ( see document entitled "The 10 year plan for the application of
    remote sensing in agricultural statistics " Summary table p. 6 : detailed
    tables based on the description of eache measure ).
6.  Financial implications as regard operating appropriations :
6.1 Schedule of commitment appropriations and payment appropriations
    ( million ECU ):
    Year                     NDA
    1989                      4,825
    1990                      5,425
    1991                      5,725
    1992                      6,025
    1993                      6,000
    subsequent years          6,0 ( 2 )
    Total                    28,000
6.2 Financing during current year :
7.  Observations : ( 1 ) The staffing requirements of the JCR for the period
    between 1989 and 1993 are as follows , for each year :
    A posts - 9
    B posts - 3
    ( 2 ) The plan presented covers measures to be carried out over a 10 year
    period , but the financial forecasts cover the first five years only . This
    figure is consequently a provisional one and is to be confirmed .
 ---pagebreak---                        FICHE P.M.E.
  OBLIGATIONS ADMINISTRATIVES DECOULANT DE L' APPLICATION DE LA
 LEGISLATION POUR LES ENTREPRISES .
  Néant
 AVANTAGES l' uUR L' ENTREPRISE
 - MI / NON
r LESQUELLES
 INCONVENIENTS POUR L' ENTREPRISE
 ( coût supplémentai res )
- XWT / NON
- CONSEQUENCES
EFFETS SUR L' EMPLOI                '                    *-
  Néant
                    v                                              i
Y A- T- IL EU CONCERTATION PREALA6LE AVEC LES PARTENAIRES
SOCIAUX ?
- jW / NON
                                                                  »
- AVIS DES PARTENAIRES SOCIAUX                             •      j
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                                                                  I
                                                                 I
                                                                 i
Y A-T-IL UNI APPRGCHE ALTERNATIVE MOINS CONTRAIGNANTE ?          |
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