85/360/EEC: Council Decision of 16 July 1985 on the restructuring of the system of agricultural surveys in Greece

COUNCIL  DECISION
of 16 July 1985
on the restructuring of the system of agricultural surveys in Greece
(85/360/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 Greece, to have statistical and farm accounting information of satisfactory scope and reliability on agricultural holdings in that country and on the production, processing and marketing of agricultural products;
Whereas the Hellenic Republic is currently unable to provide the amount and quality of statistical data required for the formulation and follow-up of the common agricultural policy, thus making a restructuring of the information collecting and processing system highly desirable in order to create a more solid basis for the statistical information to be supplied; whereas the system could at the same time be brought into line with those in the other Member States, thus improving comparability within the Community;
Whereas, in pursuance of Council Regulation No 79/65/EEC of 15 June 1965 setting up a network for the collection of accountancy data on the incomes and business operation of agricultural holdings in the European Economic Community (4), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 2143/81 (5), the Hellenic Republic is required to participate in this data network; whereas this participation is currently facing serious infrastructure problems; whereas it is therefore desirable that the best advantage should be drawn from improvements in infrastructure whilst at the same time complying with the current rules governing the said data network;
Whereas, in view of the geographical structure of the country and the small divisions of the agricultural production apparatus, the implementation of a modern system for compiling and processing data calls for very substantial resources;
Whereas, because of economic and budgetary contraints, the Hellenic Republic does not have sufficient means to make the considerable effort involved in establishing a suitable infrastructure and a statistical system comparable to those which already exist in the other Member States;
Whereas the implementation of an effective system for recording statistics in the agricultural sector in Greece 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 a Community contribution to the financing of the measures to be taken must be envisaged without, however, making expenditure relating 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 (6), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 3509/80 (7), chargeable to the Community budget;
Whereas the five-year programme (hereinafter called 'the programme') submitted by the Hellenic Republic to meet Community requirements in the area of agricultural statistics involves overall expenditure of 61 million ECU and whereas the Community contribution should not exceed one third of that sum;
Whereas, while the Hellenic Republic should retain responsibility for such planning 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 the Hellenic Republic 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 on Agricultural Statistics,