CELEX: 51981PC0391
Language: en
Date: 1981-07-15
Title: Proposal for a COUNCIL DIRECTIVE (EEC) derogating in favour of the Kingdom of the Netherlands from Directive 73/403/EEC on the synchronization of general population censuses (submitted to the Council by the Commission)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (81) 391
Vol. 1981/0120
 ---pagebreak--- Disclaimer
Conformément au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983,
p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003
(JO L 243 du 27.9.2003, p. 1), ce dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas échéant, les documents
classifiés présents dans ce dossier ont été déclassifiés conformément à l'article 5 dudit
règlement.
In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983
concerning the opening to the public of the historical archives of the European Economic
Community and the European Atomic Energy Community (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243,
27.9.2003, p. 1), this file is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this
file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation.
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom 1.
Februar 1983 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgemeinschaft (ABI. L 43 vom 15.2.1983,
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. September 2003
(ABI. L 243 vom 27.9.2003, S. 1), ist diese Datei der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit
erforderlich, wurden die Verschlusssachen in dieser Datei in Übereinstimmung mit Artikel 5
der genannten Verordnung freigegeben.
 ---pagebreak--- COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                                      COM(81)391 final
                                                     Brussels - 15 July 1981
                        L - . - '' •
                                           /
                                         /
                \         .
                        <■£ I U v
                                         Proposal for a
                                      COUNCIL DIRECTIVE ( EEC )
               derogating in favour of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
               from Directive 73 / 403 / EEC on the synchronization of
                                   general population censuses
                   ( submitted to the Council by the Commission )
C0M(81 ) 391 final
 ---pagebreak---                                REASONS FOR THE PROPOSAL
 1 . . Article 1 of Council Directive of 22 November 1973 on "the synchronisation
       of general population censuses stipulates that Member States shall conduct
       a general population census on a date between 1 . March and 31 May 1981 .
       Article 2 of the Directive stipulates that the Commission, in collator-:
/ -    ation with the competent authorities of the Member States , shall draw up
       a programme of statistical tables to "be prepared on the basis of such
       censuses , covering certain demographic , professional and sooial character­
       istics of individuals , households and families .
 2.    In a letter dated 15 September 1980 the Permanent Representation for the
       Netherlands conveyed a request from the Netherlands Government for a
       derogation from this Directive in the following terms :
     " Re : 1981 population census
       On behalf of the Netherlands Government , I should like to apply to the
       Commission for the Netherlands to "be released from its obligation to
       carry out a general population census between 1 March and 31 May 1981
       inclusive , as laid down in Council Directive N° 73/404/EEC of 22 November
       1973 (Official Journal N° L 34?) on the synchronisation of general cen­
       suses . The reasons for this request are as follows :
       (i)     The experience gained in the course of the sample surveys carried
               out in 1979 in preparation for the general census originally planned
               for 1981 has given rise to serious doubts as to whether the popu­
               lation is sufficiently willing, in the current situation, to take
               part in a new census. The total non-response rate in the sample
               surveys was 26$, with wide variations from 215b in rural areas to
               37$ in the big cities .
        ( ii ) Pears as regards the anticipated relative unwillingness on the
                part of the population to take part in a new census are reinforced
               "by the findings of a qualitative survey of people 's views on popu­
                lation censuses in general . It has teen found that the concept
                "population census " in the Netherlands has strong emotional
 ---pagebreak---          connotations in that the word is associated with the idea of
         personal registration. The general political and social debate
         on the importance of protecting the individual 's privacy has a
         bearing on the population census .
        This association clearly gives rise to feelings of fear and re­
         luctance to take part in the census . Although there are no real
         grounds for such fears , the fact is that the resultant social and
        psychological climate does not augur well for a successful popula­
        tion census in the near future . The climate can only be improved
        by a lengthy public relations exercice arid the institution of
        adequate legal provisions to protect the individual 's privacy.
( iii ) In view of the need to take all due care in this matter , the
        important political discussions on the draft law on personal
        registration will not make sufficient progress for the population
        census to be prepared by the deadline ( end of February 1981 ).
( iv)' In view of the above considerations and given the fact that the
        Association of Dutch Municipal Authorities has given notice of
        serious reservations as regards the scheduled census date ( clashing
        with the Second Chamber elections in 1931 ), the Government , having
        heard the opinion of the Central Committee on Statistics , feels
        that the census planned for 1981 should be postponed to a later
        date some time in the 1980s . This will require the creation of
        appropriate legal provisions , and a draft is now being prepared
        and will shortly be submitted at the Scccna Chamber . The aim of
        this legislation will be to revoke the current obligation ( based
        on the current Population Censuses Act ) to carry out a census in
        1980 or 1981 , and to make possible for a general population census
        to be held at some later time in the 1960e< by general government
        decree . "
As six Member Countries were proceding with arrangements for the carrying
out of population    censuses within the period of the 1973 Directive , while
three others were    seeking derogations to permit postponements of their
censuses by up to    one year , the Commission did not feel Justified , on
the basis on this    request , in recommending a derogation removing completely
 ---pagebreak--- the obligations of the 1973 Directive in respect of the Netherlands . The
Netherlands was , therefore , asked whether it could indicate when a census
of Population would he taken and , if this could not "be in sufficient time
for the results to be included in the Community tabulation programme ,
what alternatives existed for completing those tables in respect of the
Netherlands . The reply in a letter dated 3 April 1981 , was as follows :
"( i )   Pilot tests organised in 1979 revealed serious difficulties , putting
         in doubt the success of the census .
 ( ii ) Efforts are being made to introduce legal measures to resolve
         these difficulties , which have their origin in the present socio-
         psychological climate surrounding the census of population. Besides
         creating conditions essential for the success of the census , legal
         measures have already been put in hand to permit the organisation
         of a census of population before the end of 1986 .
 ( iii ) The statistical tables in respect of demographic characteristics
         contained in the 1981 Community census of Population Programme
         will be completed using data obtained from current demographic
         statistics .
 ( iv) The other tables of the 1981 Community census of population pro­
         gramme will be compiled on the basis of data collected at the
         labour force sample survey , organised in the spring of 1981 » for
         which survey the usual sampling fraction for the Netherlands is
         being raised to five percent . "
Having regard to the difficulties experienced by the Netherlands in
complying fully with the provisions of the 1973 Directive , the Commission
considers that in the circumstances these proposals of the Netherlands
government represent a satisfactory compromise. Accordingly the Commission
recommends that a derogation be granted as requested in the letter of
the Permanent Representation of the Netherlands of 15 September 1980.
 ---pagebreak---                                Proposal for a
                           COUNCIL DIRECTIVE (EEC )
derogating in favour of the Kingdom of the Netherlands from Directive 73/403/EEC
          on the synchronisation of general population censuses
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community ,
and in particular Article 213 thereof ,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ,
Whereas Council Directive 73/403/EEC (1 ) stipulates that Member States shall
conduct a general population census on a date between 1 March and 31 May 1981 ,
Whereas serious administrative difficulties , which could not have been foreseen
at the time when the Directive was adopted , have arisen which prevent the
successful execution of a census of population in the Kingdom of the Nether­
lands between the said dates ,
Whereas it is now proposed to derive the information required by the Directive
partly from current demographic statistics and partly on a sample basis ,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE
                                 Article  1
By way of derogation from Directive 73/403/EEC , the provisions of the
Directive shall not apply in the case of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
                                  Article 2
This Directive is addressed to the Member States .
Done at Brussels ,                                    For the Council
                                                      The President
(1  OJ F 347 , 17.12.1973 , P. 50