CELEX: 51988PC0183
Language: en
Date: 1988-04-11
Title: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on special support for the development of agricultural statistics in Ireland (submitted by the Commission)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (88) 183
Vol. 1988/0057
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 ---pagebreak--- COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                      COM(88 ) 183 final
                                      Brussels , 11 April 1988
                           Proposai for a
                          COUNCIL DECISION
      on special support for the development of agricultural
                       statistics in Ireland
 ---pagebreak---                               EXPLANÀTORY MEMORANDUM
In July 1987 the Commission received an application from the Irish authori ¬
ties for Community aid to assist the development of agricultural statistics
In   Ireland .
Ireland could in fact encouter serious problems in carrying out statistical
surveys of agricultural holdings , particularly those provided for by Coun¬
cil Regulation ( EEC ) No 571 / 88 of 29 February 1988 on the organization of
Community surveys on the structure of agricultural holdings between 1988
and 1997 ( 1 ).
In order to be able to carry out these surveys , Ireland Intends to Imple¬
ment a programme of measures , l.e . extending Its technical and administra¬
tive Infrastructure , creating a register of agricultural holdings and orga¬
nizing postal surveys , assisted by an Improved Informatics Infrastructure .
The table attached to the financial statement summarizes the expenditure
which Ireland will Incur during the coming years .
The   Irish authorities have submitted to the Commission a timetable and de ¬
tailed description of the work to be carried out .
The total cost comes to 5.34 million Irish pounds ( approx . 7 million ECU )
over three years . This represents a very large burden on the national bud ¬
get at a time of austerity , and It Is already certain that the full sum
will not be aval lable .
Without Community aid the       Irish authorities could be forced to defer or
even cancel the planned work , which would have very negative consequences
for the production of regular and reliable agricultural statistics .
In view of the effort which Ireland Is prepared to make In this area , It
would seem appropriate for the Community to contribute towards the cost of
achieving the objectives .
The proposed overall contribution from the Community Is 3.5 million ECU ,
which   Is half the total  cost .
Finally ,   It should be remembered that the Community has already made a fi ¬
nancial    contribution   towards    two similar  projects : the Plan   for  the
restructuring of the system of agricultural surveys In Italy ( Council Deci ¬
sion 81 / 518 / EEC of 6 July 1981 ) and the Plan for the restructuring of the
system of agricultural surveys In Greece ( Council Decision 85 / 360 / EEC of 16
July 1985 ) .
( 1 ) O.J. No L 56 , 2.3.1988 , p. 1
                                                                                 l
 ---pagebreak---                                    Proposai for a
                                 COUNCIL DECISION
                   on special support for the development of
                        agricultural statistics in Ireland
                      ( only the English text is authentic )
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COHHUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Commu¬
nity , and in particular Article 43 thereof ,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission^,
                                                             2)
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament         ,
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee^,
Whereas it is necessary , for effective and balanced implementation of
the common agricultural policy in Ireland , to have statistical informa¬
tion of satisfactory scope and reliability on agricultural holdings and
mainly on farming activity undertaken on agricultural holdings in that
country ;
Whereas the implementation of an effective system for recording sta ¬
tistics which are mainly based on farm holdings in the agricultural
sector in Ireland will be in the interest of the Community and will
contribute to the attainment of the objectives defined in Article 39
( 1 ) ( a ) of the Treaty ;
Whereas , for technical and organizational reasons fundamental and far
reaching changes to the system for collecting and processing of basic
information relating to agricultural holdings should be made from 1988
to permit Ireland to meet , both from a qualitative and a quantitative
point of view , the needs for statistical data required for the formula¬
tion and the follow-up of the common agricultural policy ;
Whereas , on account of economic and budgetary constraints ,      Ireland does
not have sufficient means to undertake the considerable development
work necessary to introduce an effective and reliable new survey system ;
Whereas a Community contribution towards        financing the measures to be
taken must be envisaged without , however , making expenditure           char¬
geable to the Community budget which relates to administrative costs or
personnel within the meaning of Article 1 ( 4 ) of Council Regulation
( EEC ) No 729/70^of 21 April 1970 on the financing of the common^gri -
cultural policyH , as last amended by Regulation ( EEC ) No 3769/ 85 ^ ;
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)   0J No L 94 , 28.4.1970 , p. 13 .
     0J No L 362 , 31.12.1985 , p. 17 .
                                                                            3
 ---pagebreak---                                    - 2 -
Whereas the three year programme ( hereinafter called 'the programme' )
submitted by Ireland to meet Community requirements in the area of
agricultural statistics involves overall expenditure of 7.0 million ECU
and whereas the Community contribution should not exceed half of that
sum ;
Whereas , while Ireland should retain responsibility for the management
of the programme in the light of existing administrative structures ,
certain conditions should be laid down to guarantee optimum utilization
of the Community 's financial contribution ;
Whereas the Community must be able to ensure that the measures taken by
Ireland will help to attain the objectives of the joint action and will
fulfil the conditions under which the Community financing is granted ,
and whereas the Commission will take the measures required to review
the programme
Whereas a procedure should be laid down whereby the Member States and
the Commission will cooperate closely in the Standing Committee for
Agricultural Statistics ,
HAD ADOPTED THIS DECISION :
                                 Article 1
In order to reorganize a system for compiling and processing statistics
in the agricultural sector in Ireland which will fully satisfy Commu¬
nity requirements in this field , Ireland shall ensure :
( a ) the strengthening of the central technical and administrative
      infrastructure responsible for organizing , programming and imple¬
      menting the compiling and processing of agricultural statistical
      data ;
( b ) the strengthening of the local technical and administrative infra ¬
      structure so that the required surveys are carried out in such a
      manner as to guarantee their statistical validity ;
( c ) an improved basis for sampling by creating a register of agricul ¬
      tural holdings ;
( d ) the gradual introduction of a coherent programme of statistical
      surveys , conducted on the basis of samples at agricultural holding
      level , by interviewers chosen and specially trained for that
      purpose .             1
                                 Article 2
Ireland shall ensure that , once the restructuring is completed , the
organization of the system referred to in Article 1 guarantees the
carrying out of existing or future relevant surveys at Community level
and that these surveys fulfil the requirements of Community law as
regards scope and purpose and the reliability and time limits prescri ¬
bed , without any further financial aid being granted by the Community ,
other than the contribution provided for in this Decision , except in
cases where Community contributions are also laid down for the other
Member States .
 ---pagebreak---                                      Article 3
 1 . The organization of the new system of surveys referred to in Article
     1 shall take the form of a programme which is to begin in 1988 and
     shall be spread over a period of three years ( 1988 to 1990 ). The new
     system shall apply in particular to work on agricultural statistics ,
      involving surveys on agricultural holdings provided for          in the
     statistical programmes of the European Communities .
 2 . The timetable for the carrying out of the programme is laid down in
      the Annex .
 3 . Ireland shall be entitled to submit amendments to the running of the
     programme . The Commission shall decide whether such amendments shall
     be approved , in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article
     7.
                                     Article 4
 1 . From 1988 to 1990 Ireland shall carry out the programme described in
     the Annex .     Ireland shall submit in the month of June of each of the
     years 1988 , 1989 , 1990 and 1991 ( year t ):
     a ) a progress report on the work completed ( during year t-1 ),
         detailing particularly information on the progress made in the
         reinforcement of the technical and administrative machinery and
         on the experience gained from the implementation of the
         programme .    This report shall be accompanied by a detailed report
         ( table ) on the financing of the programme as carried out and on
         the financial aspects of the part supported by Community
         contribution ;
     b ) the annual detailed programme to be carried out the next year
         ( year t+1 ).
2 . At the request of the Commission , Ireland shall supply additional
     information as necessary on the progress achieved in implementing
     the programme .
3 . The report on the progress of work and the annual programme are to
     be approved by the Commission according to the procedure as laid
     down in Article 7 .
                                     Article 5
The Commission shall take all the necessary steps to ensure that the
running of the programme enables the objectives referred to in Article
1 to be achieved .
 ---pagebreak---                                  Article 6
1 . The Community shall reimburse to Ireland 50% of actual
    expenditure o the programme up to the amount of the appropriations
    entered for this purpose in the general budget of the European
    Communities . The estimated expenditure to be borne by the Community
    amounts to 3.5 million ECU for the programme as a whole .
2 . Applications for reimbursement shall refer to the sums spent by
     Ireland          during a year and shall be presented to the
    Commission during the year which follows together with the report on
    the progress of work as laid down in Article 4(1 ).
                                 Article 7
1 . Where the procedure laid down in this Article is to be followed , the
    matter shall be referred to the Standig Committee on Agricultural
    Statistics by its chairman , either on his own initiative or at the
    request of the representative of a Member State .
2 . The representative of the Commission shall submit to the Committee a
    draft of the measures to be taken . The Standing Committee on
    Agricultural statistics shall give its opinion on these measures
    withi a time limit which may be set by the chairman in accordance
    with the urgency of the matters submitted for discussion . It shall
    act by a majority of 54 votes , the votes of the Member States being
    weighted as laid down in Article 148(2 ) of the Treaty . The Chairman
    shall not vote . The Commission shall adopt the measures , which shall
    be immediately applicable . However , if they are not in accordance
    with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Agricultural
    Statistics , the Commission shall submit them to the Council without
    delay ; if this is done , the Commission may delay the application of
    the proposed measures by not more than one month after the dte of
    submission .
    The Council may take a different decision within a period of one
    month , acting by a qualified majority .
                                 Article 8
This Decision is adressed to Ireland .
Done at Brussels ,
                                           For the Council
                                             The President
 ---pagebreak---       Timetable for Implementing the 3-year Development Plan ( 1988-1990 )
Year 1 - 1988
The following work programme will be pursued in 1988 :
. Largescale pilot tests of a new postal survey approach will be undertaken in
  tandem with the traditional enumerator survey system ;
. The results of the pilot tests will be examined to determine optimum survey
  procedures with particular attention being paid to questionnaire design ,
  dispatch and receipt of forms ,    non-response follow-up procedures and data
  processing requirements ;
. Direct comparisons will be made between data obtained through use of the new
  and existing survey procedures with a view to establishing linkages which
  will allow continuity to be maintained in the population estimates produced
  in the interim changeover period ;
. Available administrative sources will be examined to determine their statis ¬
  tical potential and , in particular , the extent to which they can be incor¬
  porated into a comprehensive and up -to-date register system for agricultural
  holdings ;
. The programme for the acquisition of computer and other necessary support
  equipment ( hardware and software ) will be commenced ;
. Work will be started on the development of computer systems etc .      for the
  handling and processing of the surveys ;
. Training programmes for personnel engaged in the conduct and processing of
  the surveys will be initiated .
Year 2 - 1989
The programme of work outlined for 1988 will be continued with the following
key features or additions :
. The changeover to a fully postal system for the annual sample inquiries will
  be completed and the new system thus established will be maintained on an
  interim basis pending the completion of the overall development programme ;
. Preparations will be made for the fieldwork ,   to be undertaken in 1990 , for
  the establishment of a new comprehensive register of holdings ;
. The computer processing systems etc . will be developed so as to handle a
  full-scale Census of Agriculture to be held in conjunction with the register
  fieldwork in 1990 .
 ---pagebreak---                                         2
Year 3 - 1990
The programme of work initiated in the previous two years will be brought to a
completion in 1990 , with the establishment of a computer-based register of
holdings following an extensive field operation in June 1990 .
The new register will be used to launch a permanent series of annual postal
surveys in early 1991 which will replace the interim series established in
1989 . Procedures for maintaining the base register up to date , through linkage
with administrative records and the use of special surveys , will also be put
in place .
                                                                                 &
 ---pagebreak---        Re-organisation of the Systea
                    for
      Conducting Statistical Surveys
                    of
     Agricultural Holdings in Ireland
Subaission by Ireland Seeking Coaaunity Aid
         Central Statistics Office
                                           July 1987
                                                     5
 ---pagebreak---                                          2
1 . Ireland has a long tradition of conducting regular statistical surveys to
    monitor agricultural activity at farm level . The June enumeration has been
    conducted every year ( with rare exceptions ) since 1847 while a January / De¬
    cember enumeration of livestock numbers has been held annually since the
    1930 's . These surveys have served to meet national , and in recent times EC
    needs for ongoing information on developments in agriculture in Ireland at
    farm level . Despite this long tradition increasing difficulty has been
    experienced in recent years in maintaining the basic data collection system
    with the result that both the quality and quantity of the statistical
    output has been deteriorating . In particular , Ireland 's ability to meet the
    Community 's statistical requirements in this area has been severely tested .
2 . The basic approach in collecting the information has remained largely
    unchanged over time . Essentially the method has involved the collection by
    enumerators of the required information through personal interview of all
    landholders in designated local areas . In recent years over 600 enumerators
    have been engaged in this work for each of the ongoing annual sample
    inquiries while approximately 3,000 have been required to conduct the
    periodic full enumerations or Censuses of Agriculture . Up to 1970 members
    of the Gardai ( and their predecessors , the Royal Irish Constabulary)acted
    as Enumerators - a situation which was facilitated by the very localised
    police network which existed uup until then , particularly in rural areas .
    However , with the decline in rural population and the improvement in
    communications , the deployment of the Gardai was progressively centralised
    and this , together with other organisation changes , resulted in the Gardai
    having to withdraw from the actual enumeration work . Instead a special
    corps of temporary enumerators , which is organised and controlled through
    the Gardai network , has been established .
3 . Initially the rationale for this continued linkage with the Gardai network
    was that the Gardai , because of their long experience of the work and their
    local knowledge , were ideally placed to train and supervise the new enume¬
    rators . However , with the passage of time , this advantage has become very
    diluted and , as a consequence , the effectiveness of the training / supervi ¬
    sory input has gradually deteriorated . As a result the quality of the
    statistical output has deteriorated accordingly . The nature of the field
    procedures has also proved to be an obstacle to making changes in the
    collection system to cater for changing requirements and to maximise the
    potential for improved analysis through increased use of computers in
    processing etc . No significant scope for improvement has been found within
    the system .
4 . In those circumstances the Central Statistics Office ( CS0 ) is of the view
    that the existing system will continue to deteriorate ultimately to the
    point where its value will be open to serious question . In particular , it
    is felt that the system is no longer capable of providing an adequate basis
    for conducting the next full enumeration or Census of Agriculture around
    1990 ( the last Census was undertaken in 1980 ). There is , therefore , an
    urgent need to introduce a new survey system which will guarantee the
    future availability of reliable agricultural statistics in Ireland to meet
    EC and national requirements .
5 . Special arrangements would therefore have to be made to continue the
    present enumerator-based system . These arrangements would however have
    enormous cost implications : an increase of about 50% in the annual budget
    for agricultural statistics and a three-fold increase in the expenditure on
    a full Census of Agriculture would be required . Such an increase in the
    cost of Irish agricultural statistics is considered untenable in the
                                                                                   ΙΟ
 ---pagebreak---     current economic climate and particularly so given that expenditure on
    agricultural statistics is already relatively high compared to that on
    other sectors of the economy .
6 . The introduction of a more cost-effective method for conducting the June
    and December inquiries is therefore essential . An examination of possible
    alternatives has indicated that only a fundamental change in the survey
    method - from the present enumerator system to a mainly postal one - can
    achieve the desired results . A preliminary assessment of the implications
    of such a change has indicated that far-reaching changes would be necessary
    in the survey organisation and processing procedures . At present the annual
    surveys are conducted using an “ area sampling " methodology and the indivi ¬
    dual returns are summarised manually by the fieldforce . This approach means
    in particular that it is not necessary to maintain an up-to-date register
    of holdings ( other than in the fixed sampled areas ) and that central
    processing is effectively limited to handling approximately 600 area
    summaries . The successful introduction of a postal survey system, on the
    other hand , will be critically dependent on the availability of a compre¬
    hensive and up-to-date register to facilitate efficient sampling and the
    preparation of accurate population estimates . It will also involve the
    handling and processing of between 20,000 and 30,000 individual returns in
    the course of each survey . Both these factors have significant implications
    for the CSO . Firstly , since no up-to-date and comprehensive register of
    holdings exists ( e.g. for administrative purposes ), it will be necessary
    for the CSO to establish and maintain one for statistical purposes . The
    existing computer processing and survey handling capacities within the CSO
    will also have to be expanded and updated to meet the new demand . Aside
    from these two " infrastructural " factors it will be necessary to conduct a
    number of pilot tests to identify the problems which can be expected and
    the optimum procedures to be followed in introducing a permanent and
    sustainable new system .
7 . In introducing the new system two conflicting pressures are encountered . On
    the one hand it is essential for statistical reasons that the introduction
    of a new permanent system should be linked to the taking of the next Census
    of Agriculture around 1990 . There are also strong cost-efficiency grounds
    for linking the establishment of a new register to the taking of a Census .
    On the other hand , however , it is clear from the previous paragraph that
    much development work needs to be done before a permanent self-sustaining
    postal system can be introduced . To resolve this conflict the CSO proposes
    that the changeover be effected gradually over a three year period commenc ¬
    ing in 1988 . The timetable for implementing this 3-year Development Plan is
    set out in Annex 1 . The phasing-in of the new system over a three-year
    period will , it is hoped , result in continuity being maintained in the
    series of population estimates produced .
8 . An initial assessment of the costs involved in implementing the development
    plan would indicate additional expenditure of approximately IR£ 5.34
    million being required over the three years . A breakdown of the estimated
    costs by category and year is given in Annex 2 . This level of expenditure
    is very high in the context of expenditure on statistics in Ireland and
    would be virtually impossible to obtain in the current Irish budgetary
    situation . However failure to undertake the necessary development work will
    undoubtedly put the success of any new system in jeopardy with detrimental
    consequences for the quality and accuracy of the statistics produced . The
    need to find the resources to carry out the development work indicated is
    therefore imperative if the required standards are to be attained . The
    Community has an obvious interest in ensuring that the range and quality of
                                                                               II
 ---pagebreak--- У
                                          -  4  -
        these surveys is maintained and enhanced since they are required to either
        meet or underpin a considerable part of the Community 's requirements for
        agricultural statistics from Ireland .
    9 . Having regard to the foregoing considerations and bearing in mind that
        Ireland will continue to bear the cost of providing the existing current
        sttistics in the interim period , a Community investment of up to two thirds
        of the development costs specified is being sought as an essential contri ¬
        bution towards undertaking the necessary development programme . Such an
        " Irish Plan", involving joint national and Community financing , follows the
        precedent established for some other Member States where exceptional diffi ¬
        culties have arisen in the provision of agricultural statistics .
  Λ
                                                                                      \ г.
 ---pagebreak--- FINANCIAL              STATEMENT              concerning :
Draft of Council Decision on special support for the development of agri ¬
cultural statistics in Ireland
1 . Budget heading :       Item :       Title :
                           Art . 385    Restructuring of the system of agricultu¬
                                        ral surveys
2 . Legal basis : Art . 43 of the Treaty
3 . Classification :              Compulsory / Non-coapulsory expenditure
4 . Purpose /description of the measure :
    Financial contribution to the restructuring of the system of agricultural
    surveys in Ireland , to ensure continuity in the availability of the data
    necessary for the common agricultural policy
5.     Method of calculation
5.1 .  Form of expenditure : Contribution to the eligible national expenditures
5.2 .  Community contribution : 50% ( 1 / 2 )
5.3 .  Calculation : see annex to the financial statement
6.     Financial implication as regards ope rating appropriations
6.1 .  Schedule of commitment appropriations and payment appropriations (m ECU)
              Year                              Non-differentiated appropriations
              1989                                    0.9
              1990                                    0.6
              1991                                    2.0
              Following years                         _
              Total                                   3.5
6.2 .  Financing during current year :          No
7 . Observations :
 ---pagebreak---                           ANNEX to the  Financial Statement
                                                                                   [;
            Summary of Estimated Expenditure on 3-year Development Plan
                                       ( 1988 - 1990 )
                                             1988   1989    1990        TOTAL
                                                            IR£ ( 000 )
 1.    Computer and other infra ¬
        structural expenditure
       1.1  Hardware                          850     320      150       1320
       1.2  Software                          125     125       70        320
       1.3  Training                           80      90       50        220
      Total                                 1055      535     270        I860
2.    Conduct of Pilot Tests/
        interim Surveys
      2.1   Organisation and
             processing costs                 155     200                 355
      2.2   Survey costs ( postage ,
             printing , training
             field follow-up , etc. )          75     150                 225
      Total                                   230     350       -         580
3.    Establishment of Register *
      3.1   Organisation and
             processing costs                         100     100         200
      3.2   Field costs :
             3.2.1 Training                            _
                                                              100         100
             3.2.2 Travel                      -
                                                       -      700         700
             3.2.3 Fees of temp ¬
             orary field staff                               1700        1700
             3.2.4 Other ( accom ¬
             odation , communications
             etc . )                                          200         200
      Total                                    -
                                                     100     2800        2900
GRAND TOTAL                                 1285     985     3070        5340
                                          Í lb% )            ( ±1%      Uoo% )
* The establishment of the register will be linked to the taking of a Census
    of Agriculture . The costs given , in particular the field costs , represent
    the amounts required over and above the normal allocation for the Census .
                                                                                 )H