CELEX: 52004PC0216
Language: en
Date: 2004-03-30
Title: Amended proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning statistics on the Information Society (presented by the Commission pursuant to Article 250 (2) of the EC Treaty)

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                                 Brussels, 30.3.2004
                                                 COM(2004) 216 final
                                                 2003/0199 (COD)
                              Amended proposal for a
   REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
                  concerning statistics on the Information Society
      (presented by the Commission pursuant to Article 250 (2) of the EC Treaty)
EN                                                                               EN
 ---pagebreak---                                                        2003/0199 (COD)
                                     Amended proposal for a
    REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
                       concerning statistics on the Information Society
                                   (Text with EEA relevance)
1.        BACKGROUND
          –     25 August 2003: Adoption by the Commission and transmission of the
                proposal to the Council and to the European Parliament (COM(2003) 509 –
                2003/0199(COD))
          –     The Council Working Group ‘Statistics’ discussed the Commission proposal at
                meetings between 8 October and 11 December 2003.
          –     29 January 2004: Opinion of the European Parliament – first reading.
2.        OBJECTIVE OF THE COMMISSION PROPOSAL
The Commission proposal on a European Parliament and Council Regulation on statistics on
the Information Society is based on Article 285 (1) in accordance with the procedure laid
down in Article 251 (2) of the EC Treaty. The European Council in Seville in June 2002
called for a legal basis to ensure regular and comparable data provision in Member States and
enable greater use of official statistics on the information society. The proposed regulation
provides that basis for National Statistical Institutes to present the statistics needed for the
Structural Indicators and the eEurope benchmarking process, while at the same time being
flexible enough to respond to new needs. It sets up a framework for a flexible system of
statistics on the information society through surveys on ICT usage in enterprises and in
households and by individuals. Two annexes define the respective modules which will later
be implemented by a Commission Regulation. Both the framework regulation and its annexes
have been drawn up after extensive consultation with Member States and are limited in
duration in order not to create any permanent statistical burden.
3.        COMMISSION OPINION ON THE AMENDMENTS ADOPTED BY THE PARLIAMENT
          Amendments accepted by the Commission
The Commission agrees to take into account in its modified proposal all amendments adopted
by the European Parliament in its plenary session on 29 January 2004.
                                                2
 ---pagebreak--- Editorial changes for clarification :
–       Amendment no 1 on recital 8:
        Editorial change of the recital to be in line with amendment no 7 on Article 8
        paragraph 2.
–       Amendment no 2 on recital 11:
        Editorial change for better understanding.
–       Amendment no 3 on article 1:
        Editorial change for better understanding.
–       Amendment no 4 on article 3 paragraph 1:
        Editorial change to official language, and for clarification to distinguish between
        mandatory requirements for the eEurope benchmarking process and less strict
        requirements for Structural Indicators.
–       Amendment no 5 on article 5:
        Editorial change to make the goal of the manual more explicit.
–       Amendment no 6 on article 6 paragraph 1:
        Editorial change to clarify that only aggregate data shall be transmitted under this
        Regulation.
–       Amendment no 7 on article 8 paragraph 3:
        Editorial change for clarification.
–       Amendment no 8 on article 9:
        Editorial change in line with interinstitutional agreement.
–       Amendment no 9 on article 10:
        Editorial change for clarification.
–       Amendment no 11 on annex 1, point c), d):
        –     Point c): editorial change for clarification;
        –     Point d): editorial change to underline the principle already expressed in c) for
              the characteristics.
                                                3
 ---pagebreak--- –         Amendment no 14 on annex 2, point c) and d):
          –     Point c): editorial change for clarification;
          –     Point d): editorial change to underline the principle already expressed in c) for
                the characteristics.
Other changes
–         Amendment no 7 on article 8:
          Paragraph 1: to sharpen the scope for the implementing measure; paragraph 2: to
          ensure quality of results.
–         Amendment no 11 on annex 1 point e):
          The restriction to three regions will not hamper the process of developing
          Information Society statistics over the set time frame.
–         Amendment no 10 on annex 1, point a) and Amendment no 13 on annex 2 point
          a):
          For clarification the amended text is introducing a comprehensive summary on what
          is expected from the module.
–         Amendment no 12 on annex 1, point ea) and Amendment no 15 on annex 2,
          point ea) new:
          The Commission would have preferred not to regulate the execution of pilot studies
          but can accept the proposal, as it will contribute to ensuring the quality of the results.
4.        CONCLUSION
Having regard to Article 250, paragraph 2, of the EC Treaty, the Commission modifies its
proposal for the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning
statistics on the Information Society as indicated above.
                                                  4