88/390/EEC: Council Decision of 11 July 1988 on special support for the development of agricultural statistics in Ireland

COUNCIL  DECISION
of 11 July 1988
on special support for the development of agricultural statistics in Ireland
(88/390/EEC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 43 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (2),
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3),
Whereas it is necessary, for effective and balanced implementation of the common agricultural policy in Ireland, to have statistical information of satisfactory scope and reliability on agricultural holdings and mainly on farming activity undertaken on agricultural holdings in that State;
Whereas the implementation of an effective system for recording statistics 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 the collection 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 formulation 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 chargeable 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 agricultural policy (4), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 2048/88 (5);
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 seven million ECU; 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; 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,