REPORT on the proposal for a Council Decision on the Community Statistical Programme 1998-2002 (COM(97)0735 - C4-0197/98 - 98/0012(CNS))

24 September 1998

Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy
Rapporteur: Mrs Astrid Lulling

By letter of 31 March 1998 the Council consulted Parliament, pursuant to Article 189c of the EC Treaty and Article 213 of the Treaty, on the proposal for a Council Decision on the Community Statistical Programme 1998-2002 (COM(97)0735 - C4-0197/98 - 98/0012(CNS)).

At the sitting of 3 April 1998 the President of Parliament announced that he had referred this proposal to the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy as the committee responsible and to the Committees concerned to deliver their opinions.

At its meeting of 9 March 1998 the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy appointed Mrs Lulling rapporteur.

The Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy considered the Commission proposal and the draft report at its meetings of 19 May 1998, 30 June 1998 and 23 September 1998.

At the last meeting it adopted the draft legislative resolution unanimously.

The following were present for the vote: von Wogau, chairman; Katiforis and Secchi, vice-chairmen; Lulling, rapporteur; Areitio Toledo, Barton (for Caudron), Beres, Billingham, Blokland (for de Rose), Boogerd-Quaak (for Cox), Camison Asensio (for Arroni), Carlsson, Cassidy (for de Brémond d'Ars), Christodoulou, Filippi (for Fourçans), Friedrich, García-Margallo, Giansily (for Gallagher), Glase (for Garosci), Harrison, Hendrick, Herman, Hoppenstedt, Ilaskivi, Imbeni, Jarzembowski (for Thyssen), Kestelijn-Sierens, Kittelmann (for Mather), Konrad, Kuhne (for Donnelly), Langen, Larive, Lindqvist (for Riis-Jrgensen), Lukas, Mann E. (for Fayot), Metten, Miller, Murphy, Paasilinna, Pérez Royo, Porto (for Peijs), Randzio-Plath, Rapkay, Ribeiro, Rübig, Skinner (for Read), Theonas (for Svensson) and Wolf (for Soltwedel-Schäfer).

The opinions of the Committee on Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, the Committee on Budgets, the Committee on Research, Technological Development and Energy, the Committee on External Economic Relations, the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, the Committee on Transport and Tourism, the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection, the Committee on Culture, Youth, Education and the Media, the Committee on Development and Cooperation, the Committee on Budgetary Control, the Committee on Fisheries and the Committee on Women's Rights are attached.

The report was tabled on 24 September 1998.

The deadline for tabling amendments will be indicated in the draft agenda for the relevant part-session.

A LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL - DRAFT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

Proposal for a Council Decision on the Community Statistical Programme 1998-2002 (COM(97)0735 - C4-0197/98 - 98/0012(CNS))

The proposal is approved with the following amendments:

Text proposed by the Commission

Amendments by Parliament

(Amendment 1)

Recital 3a (new)

3a. whereas the equality of women and men is one of the objectives of the Community, and whereas the Community must seek in all its activities to eliminate inequality between women and men; whereas, in this respect, the production of separate statistics for women and men in all relevant policy areas is of vital importance; whereas, in the context of this programme, methods must be developed to obtain specific statistics for each sex;

(Amendment 2)

Recital 5(a)

(new)

5a. Whereas, for the purposes of implementing this programme, a partnership should be established between the Commission, the national authorities and, where appropriate, their regional partners, and the respondents (households, individuals or companies);

(Amendment 3)

Recital 5(b) (new)

5b. Whereas, when it presents its annual legislative programme, the Commission shall provide information on the state of progress of this partnership on the basis of an annual report drawn up by Eurostat;

(Amendment 4)

Recital 5c (new)

5c.Whereas objective and reliable statistics are very important for the public decision-making process at the level of the European Union and the Member States; whereas the independence of Eurostat and the national statistics bureaux must be ensured and they should therefore be endowed with adequate financial resources;

(Amendment 5)

Recital 11 (new)

Whereas within the European Union, the work of statisticians within the Community Statistical System and the transmission and publication of their work has remained and needs to remain independent from political pressure which requires sufficient resources in order to assure this independence;

(Amendment 6)

Recital 12 (new)

Whereas the five year statistical framework programme for the period 1998-2002 will require Eurostat and the national statistical offices to meet new challenges, notably with the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, enlargement, the functioning of the single currency and especially with the development of harmonised statistics for the Euro area, the Growth and Stability Pact, the development and monitoring of the labour market and the preparations for the definitive VAT regime;

(Amendment 7)

Article 4

During the third year of implementation of the programme the Commission will present an intermediate report showing its stage of development.	During the third year of implementation of the programme the Commission will provide for an independent mid-programme evaluation showing how the programme is developing.
At the end of the period covered by the programme the Commission, after consulting the Statistical Programme Committee, shall present an appropriate evaluation report on the implementation of the programme. That report is to be completed by the end of 2003 and subsequently submitted to the European Parliament and the Council.	At the end of the period covered by the programme the Commission, after consulting the Statistical Programme Committee, shall provide for an independent appropriate evaluation report on the implementation of the programme. That report is to be completed by the end of 2003 and subsequently submitted to the European Parliament and the Council.

(Amendment 8)

Annex I, Introduction

iii), d)

d) Other areas	d) Other areas
Other areas of statistical data collection not covered above are nevertheless required for policy purposes.	Other areas of statistical data collection not covered above are nevertheless required for policy purposes. Should any further substantial statistical requirement arise, these will be accompanied by corresponding budgetary appropriations.

(Amendment 9)

Annex I, II

Summary	Summary
During the programme period the Commission will strive to:	During the programme period the Commission will strive to:
* apply the TAPAS scheme for progressive improvements to the existing set of agricultural statistics, mainly as far as quality, comparability and timeliness is concerned;	* apply the TAPAS scheme for progressive improvements to the existing set of agricultural statistics, mainly as far as quality, comparability and timeliness is concerned;
* plan the development of a new generation of agricultural statistics with the aim to meet the future needs of the CAP;	* plan the development of a new generation of agricultural statistics with the aim to meet the future needs of the CAP thereby enabling forecasts to be made of the movement in agricultural spending in the various CAP areas;
* develop comparable data for the negotiations on the enlargement of the Union;	* develop comparable data for the negotiations on the enlargement of the Union;
* consolidate and improve the fishery statistics data flows.	* consolidate and improve the fishery statistics data flows to improve reliability, data availability, comparability and timeliness.

(Amendment 10)

Annex I, VIII

Summary	Summary
Work during the next planning period will mainly concentrate on:	Work during the next planning period will mainly concentrate on:
* the consolidation and analysis of work on population and migration;* the development of a continuous Labour force survey and the implementation of quarterly Employment cost statistics;	* the consolidation and analysis of work on population and migration;* the development of a continuous Labour force survey and the implementation of quarterly Employment cost statistics;
* the implementation of a new continuing vocational training survey and extension of the scope of data collection;* the continuation of statistical projects on health and safety;	* the implementation of a new continuing vocational training survey and extension of the scope of data collection;* the continuation of statistical projects on health and safety;
* the continuation of both household survey and panel and improvement of statistics on poverty;* implementation of the Time Use Survey;* the consolidation of Social Protection Statistics.	* the continuation of both household survey and panel and improvement of statistics on poverty;* implementation of the Time Use Survey;* the consolidation of Social Protection Statistics in particular to reinforce availability of gender specific activities;
	*pursuing the development of an increased level of harmonised statistics related to unemployment and the labour market.
	* the provision of common indicators to monitor employment measures within the framework of the four pillars of the Employment Guidelines;
	* the comparability of statistical indicators used by the Member States and the reduction in the timelapse in the collection of data;
	* the provision of adequate statistical data in the field of education and training.

(Amendment 11)

Annex I, XII

Summary	Summary
Work will mainly focus on:* consolidating and improving trade statistics in the field of energy;* develop a set of statistics on the environmental impact of energy.	Work will principally focus on:* consolidating and improving trade statistics in the field of energy to enable a real follow-up of the internal market in the energy domain;* develop a set of statistics on the environmental impact of energy within the framework of the post-Kyoto strategy.

(Amendment 12)

Annex I, XIII

Summary	Summary
During the next period, work will principally concentrate on:	During the next period, work will principally concentrate on:
* the implementation of the regulations on structural business statistics and on short-term indicators of industry;* the consolidation of the PRODCOM system;	* the implementation of the regulations on structural business statistics and on short-term indicators of industry;* the consolidation of the PRODCOM system;
* the development of a set of future steel statistics;* the development of statistics on intangible investment, subcontracting and globalisation.	* the development of a set of future steel statistics compatible with current standards of quality and timeliness;* the development of statistics on intangible investment, subcontracting and globalisation.

(Amendment 13)

Annex I, Title XVI, Summary

The main effort in the next 5 years will be to:* pursue the development of environment statistics and improve their dissemination;	The main effort in the next 5 years will be to:* pursue the development of environment statistics, with the emphasis on the collection of basic data, and improve their dissemination;
* continue the production of pressure indexes;	* continue the production of environmental indicators that can be related to the various sectors of the economy;
* develop a set of statistics linking environment and economy;	* develop a set of statistics linking environment and economy;
* develop a set of satellite accounts for the environment.	* develop a set of satellite accounts for the environment with which developments in the areas of the economy, the environment and social affairs (including employment) can be jointly analysed;
	* increase cooperation with the European Environment Agency.

(Amendment 14)

Annex 1, XXII

Statistical implications	Statistical implications
Summary	Summary
During the five year period work will principally consists in:	During the five year period work will principally consists in:
* pursuing the technical assistance and training for third countries according to the needs of partner countries and to the priorities fixed by the Community	* pursuing the technical assistance and training for third countries according to the needs of partner countries and to the priorities fixed by the Community
* assisting candidate countries to improve their statistical systems to meet community requirements.	* assisting candidate countries to improve their statistical systems to meet community requirements
	* ensuring that technical cooperation with developing countries continues at the same level as in previous years.

Legislative resolution embodying Parliament's opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision on the Community Statistical Programme 1998-2002 (COM(97)0735 - C4-0197/98 - 98/0012(CNS))

(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council, COM(97)0735 - 98/0012(CNS),

- having been consulted by the Council pursuant to Article 213 of the Treaty (C4-0197/98),

- having regard to Rule 58 of its Rules of Procedure,

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy and the opinions of the Committee on Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, the Committee on Budgets, the Committee on Research, Technological Development and Energy, the Committee on External Economic Relations, the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, the Committee on Transport and Tourism, the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection, the Committee on Culture, Youth, Education and the Media, the Committee on Development and Cooperation, the Committee on Budgetary Control, the Committee on Fisheries and the Committee on Women's Rights (A4-0321/98),

1. Approves the Commission proposal, subject to Parliament's amendments;

2. Calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, pursuant to Article 189a(2) of the EC Treaty;

3. Calls on the Council to notify Parliament should it intend to depart from the text approved by Parliament;

4. Asks to be consulted again should the Council intend to make substantial modifications to the Commission proposal;

5. Instructs its President to forward this opinion to the Council and Commission.

B EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

The proposed five year statistical programme for 1998-2002 is the fifth successive medium term programme of work prepared by Eurostat. The aim of each programme has been to provide an overview of the strategies, priorities and work plans foreseen for each planning period. The previous plan, related to the period 1993-1997, was adopted by Council in July 1993 and was subject of a mid-programme evaluation in November 1996. The five year statistical framework programme for the period 1993-1997 saw a large increase in the demand for harmonised statistics, notably for the statistics linked to the convergence criteria for EMU.

The five year statistical framework programme for the period 1998-2002 will require Eurostat and the national statistical offices to meet new challenges, notably with the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, enlargement, the functioning of the single currency and especially with the further development of harmonised statistics for the Euro area, the Growth and Stability Pact, the development and monitoring of the labour market and the preparations for the definitive VAT regime. However, your rappoteur particularly appreciates the simplicity of this draft Decision as, apart from adaptation of the regulations currently in force, no new important legal act will be necessary during this framework period.

The Treaty of Amsterdam will offer an increased role, via the codecision procedure, to the European Parliament in the legislation of statistical law. This should mean that during the lifetime of this framework, Parliament will assume greater powers in the field of statistics and we must ensure that there are the resources available for this purpose. The proper democratic functioning of the European Union requires high quality Community-level statistics, which are comparable between Member States and can be broken down, when required, to a regional level. In order to achieve this the Commission and Eurostat have chosen to follow a route of subsidiarity in the production of Community statistics, which has led to the development of a network with the national statistical offices of the Member States for the production of statistics.

For a number of years, the budgets offered to national statistical offices have not allowed them to develop in accordance with the needs for Community integration. This financial deficit for statistical requirements within Member States, in the framework of a rational policy of subsidiarity for the collection of raw data, accentuates the problem of Community statistical integration. The budget provided to Eurostat has been equally insufficient to assist it in this adjustment, which has led to delays in the development of statistics in certain areas, notably for social statistics, environmental statistics and statistics on the functioning of the single market, especially in the service sector. Within the European Union, the work of statisticians and the transmission and publication of their work has remained independent from political pressure, however this independence requires sufficient resources in order to continue. Hence your rapporteur is calling for the budgets provided to Eurostat and the national statistical offices to be at least maintained at current levels in real terms. Your rapporteur is aware that for 1998, Eurostat's budget has already been cut from the budget set out in the proposal (item 7.2 of the financial statement) and would recommend strongly that this cut is reestablished in real terms over the course of the programme period.

Additionally, the last programming period saw a substantial increase in the need for harmonised statistics in new policy areas. This is likely to recur in the 1998-2002 period, for example in the development of a common community VAT system (Title V). In order to ensure that this does not lead to an effective budget cut for Eurostat, through an increase in the workload, your rapporteur is suggesting that any substantial increases are accompagnied by appropriate resource allocations.

Independent evaluations (both mid-term and final) should be an integral part of any long running programme such as this one. Your rapporteur has examined the mid-programme evaluation of the 19931997 period, and was pleased to see that the recommendations made were very largely accepted by Eurostat. She also believes that this programme period should be subject to a final independent evaluation, and that mid-term and final independent evaluations should be planned for the 1998-2002 period from the beginning of the new programme. Hence she is proposing an amendment to Article 4 in the draft Directive which would provide for improved evaluation of the programme.

Turning to those parts of Annex 1 of the draft Council Decision for which the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy has a particular interest, while efforts will continue to be needed to reinforce the statistical monitoring of Economic and Monetary Union, through increased comparability of consumer prices, both within the Euro area and the wider EU as well as National Accounts of the Monetary Union as a whole, there is also a need to maintain and reinforce the quality of the statistics in other areas. For example, the ECSC Treaty is due to expire in 2002 and a formula needs to be found to preserve the statistical programme of the coal and steel sector. This is cited under Title XIII. Your rapporteur would wish to see the quality of current steel statistics maintained under any future system.

Your rapporteur is also concerned by the need for improved harmonisation of statistics related to employment and the labour market. The different methodologies used between different Member Staes for their headline rates means that it is impossible to compare these data. For example, certain countries, such as Great Britain, unemployment statistics only count those citizens claiming benefit whereas others, such as Luxembourg equally include those seeking employment, with the consequent differences in headline unemployment rates. As such, she wishes to see (under Title VIII) action by Eurostat to improve the comparability of data related to employment via the Labour Force Survey and to speed up its plans to introduce a quarterly survey. This will necessitate the Member States finding more resources to pay for such a survey, but this should be seen as a priority to assess the effects of Economic and Monetary Union, and an amendment has been produced to this effect.

Your rapporteur recently produced a report on the statistics relating to the trading of goods between Member States (A4-0102/98) which relates to Titles I and V. This gives a critical assessment of the need for statistics on trade in goods. No European State, even one with a federal structure, maintains comparable statistics for its internal trade: it is thus possible to ascertain deliveries of goods from Catalonia to Germany, while the same information concerning trade between Catalonia and Spain's other autonomous communities exists only at an aggregate level which imposes nothing like the same obligations on firms as regards the provision of information.And yet the outright abolition of the collection of such statistical information would paradoxically be more of a hindrance than a help towards the creation of a genuine European domestic market.

If firms and regions actually want to turn this idea of a domestic market into reality, the availability of detailed statistics is a basic tool for their commercial and marketing policies. High-quality statistics serve the internal market, and they also help firms.

Your rapporteur nonetheless shares the concern of firms, and particularly SMEs, who are confronted on a daily basis by the complex burden of their obligations regarding statistical declarations. From this point of view, the report by the SLIM working party puts forward some interesting options which should make it possible, in the medium term, to ease the statistical burden to a considerable degree: methods based on sampling, the 'single flow' approach, etc.

Your rapporteur considers that such avenues should continue to be explored and would therefore wish to support the Commission in its attempts to reduce the burden on respondents, but is deeply concerned by the resource constraints highlighted under this Title.

While generally, Eurostat should be congratulated for the work that they produced, the Member States and the Council should ensure that both Eurostat and the National Statistical Offices have the resources necessary to produce the high quality, harmonised, reliable and timely data required by decision makers. If these decision makers do not have the data available to do their job, or are unable to have full confidence in their decision, then the consequences will be damaging for Europe as a whole.

OPINION

(Rule 147 of the Rules of Procedure)

for the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy

on the proposal for a Council Decision on the Community Statistical Programme 1998-2002 (COM(97)0735 - C4-0197/98 - 98/0012 (CNS)) (report by Mrs Lulling)

Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

Letter from the committee chairman to Mr von Wogau, chairman of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy

Brussels, 3 September 1998

Dear Mr von Wogau,

The Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development considered the above document at its meeting of 3 September 1998[1].

The committee welcomed the far-reaching and comprehensive nature of the programme set out by the Commission.

As regards agricultural policy, the committee would like to stress, as the Commission has done, that in the future, before the end of the period covered by the current 1998-2002 programme, new statistical requirements will arise, especially in relation to the enlargement of the Union to the east.

The Commission's document should have dealt with this point in greater detail, and in particular with the availability of comparable statistics in the CEECs, common programmes organised with these countries in order to harmonise these statistics and make them available in good time. If these matters are not resolved, the accession negotiations themselves could be distorted as a result of being based on unreliable or inaccurate data.

This should be one of the priorities of the Statistical Programme, together with the other new aspects of future agricultural policy: the second set of reforms, following those of 1992, set out in Agenda 2000, the WTO negotiations and the free-trade agreements with large areas of the world (Mercosur, South Africa, the USA, etc.). All of this will require high-performance and instantly accessible statistical tools to enable the Community institutions to react rapidly where unauthorised imports or other emergency situations require it to do so.

It is questionable whether the appropriations in the budget (heading B2-51) for agricultural, forestry and fisheries statistics, ECU 2 m in 1998 rising to 2.16 m in 2002, are sufficient to cover a programme designed to take account of these new requirements and the new tasks assigned to Eurostat in the agricultural sector.

The Committee on Agriculture is ready to back, possibly even by requesting an increase in the budget appropriations, the efforts that the Commission will be called upon to make to ensure that increasingly accurate statistics become available when required.

Yours sincerely,

Juan Luis Colino SalamancaINTS

25 June 1998

• [1]  The following took part in the vote: Colino Salamanca, chairman; Happart and Graefe zu Baringdorf, vice-chairmen; Botz (for Rehder), Fantuzzi, Fraga Estévez, Funk, Guinebertière (for Chesa), Hallam, Kindermann, Schierhuber and Vallvé (for Mulder).

OPINION

(Rule 147)

for the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy

on the proposal for a Council Decision on the Community Statistical Programme 1998-2002 (COM(97)0735 - C4-0197/98 - 98/0012(CNS); report by Mrs Lulling)

Committee on Budgets

Draftsman: Mr Joan COLOM I NAVAL

PROCEDURE

At its meeting of 17 March 1998 the Committee on Budgets appointed Mr Joan Colom I Naval draftsman.

It considered the draft opinion at its meeting of 24 June 1998 .

At the last meeting it adopted the following conclusions unanimously.

The following were present for the vote: Samland, chairman;, Willockx, vice-chairman;, Colom I Naval, draftsman;, Dankert, Dell'Alba, Dührkop Dührkop, Fabra Vallés, Ferber (for Bourlanges), Haug, Kjer Hansen, Müller, Pasty, Pimenta, Seppänen, Theato, Tomlinson, Viola (for Tillich), Virrankoski, Walter (for Tappin), Wemheuer (for Waidelich,) and Wynn.

INTRODUCTION

1. This proposal for a decision sets out Eurostat's fifth programme of work in the statistical field. Eurostat is a Commission service with a staff of approximately 700 people whose main task is to provide statistical information on a wide range of social, economic and environmental factors to back up current and future EU policies. The purpose of the new programme of work is to improve and develop the Community's statistical system and in particular to lay down new working methods.

2. As far as procedure is concerned, Parliament is required to deliver an opinion. This Eurostat programme is, beyond any doubt, the last to be the subject of a simple consultation procedure. The Amsterdam Treaty introduced a new legal basis for statistics (Article 213a) under the codecision procedure, which covers the production of statistics where such production is necessary for the performance of the activities of the Community. This positive step forward cannot but be welcomed given that, even only ten years ago, the Eurostat programme of work was the subject of a mere Council resolution - a procedure which was heavily criticized by Parliament.

GENERAL COMMENTS

3. The programme establishes three main priorities for the period 1998-2002, namely: EMU; competitiveness, growth and employment; and EU enlargement. With these priorities in mind, it focuses on the production of sectoral statistics which reflect the policy requirements laid down by the EU. These requirements are broken down into 17 titles identified in the Treaty, to which an eighteenth, covering statistics on the Community's own resources and activities relating to enlargement, has been added.

4. In connection with this last subject area, Eurostat is to continue its work of examining the comparability, representativity and exhaustiveness of GNP figures and to harmonize the methods and statistical bases for calculating this macro-economic aggregate. Work in connection with the statistics relating to enlargement will focus on seeking to bring the statistical systems of the applicant countries into line with what is to become the Union's statistical system, based on the statistical systems of the Member States.

5. As far as the financial implications are concerned, the Commission makes provision for a budget which, depending on the year concerned, will vary from ECU 83 to 95 million. This spread allows for a large degree of flexibility within the programme. A variation of 14% seems excessive, but one may assume that it is intended for the purposes of making good past shortcomings, including the fact that, in the 1998 budget, the amount entered against line B5-60 was ECU 2 700 below the amount initially provided for.

6. The global annual budget is divided into three main strands, excluding administrative expenditure:

1998 budget

- Chapter B5-60, 'statistical information': ECU 29 800 m;

- Chapters B5-72, 'telecommunications networks', and B2-5121, 'agricultural surveys': ECU 29 200 m;

- 'partnership' (a combination of budget lines from subsections , B2 B3, B4, B5, B6 and B7 of the general budget): ECU 21 738 m;

total ECU 80 738 m.

The overall budget for the five-year programme, excluding administrative expenditure, is estimated at ECU 434 418 m and breaks down as follows:

statistical programme1998-2002

- Chapter B5-60, 'statistical information': ECU 167 130 m;

- Chapters B5-72, 'telecommunications networks', and B2-5121, 'agricultural surveys': ECU 163 700 m;

- 'partnership' (a combination of budget lines from subsectionsB2, B3, B4, B5, B6 and B7 of the general budget): ECU 21 738 m;

total ECU 434 418 m.

7. The 'mixed' nature of the programme's budget is clearly apparent from the budgetary nomenclature, with appropriations being spread across a variety of budget lines. The programme is to be funded mainly from Chapter B5-60 (statistical information) and one may assume that there will be a spill-over effect on other budget lines whose main purpose is to provide financial support for other Community policies or activities, but whose implementation may also require statistical backup.

8. These relatively complex budgetary arrangements may give rise to some uncertainty in view of the factors which are taken into consideration when appropriations are entered against each line during the budgetary procedure. While certain objective criteria such as the conditions of implementation of the appropriations authorized must be taken into account when appropriations are entered against a given line, the possibility of other criteria linked to the specific characteristics of a programme being taken into account cannot be ruled out.

9. A certain structural weakness is therefore apparent in the statistical programme, owing to its relatively heavy dependence (estimated at +/- 65%) on funding from 'ancillary' budget lines. In other words, should funding from such 'ancillary' lines not be forthcoming, two questions need to be asked: firstly, whether line B5-60 would, on its own, enable all of the objectives set for the programme to be met; secondly, whether one can be sure that, were the programme to be funded solely from budget line B5-60, Eurostat would be able to remain the institutions' only point of contact with the national authorities or whether parallel networks for the transmission of statistical data would not grow up between some services within the European institutions and their national counterparts. It is therefore important to be sure that this form of 'budgetary partnership' will be able to meet the requirements laid down by Eurostat.

10. Attention is drawn to these budgetary arrangements for two main reasons:

- firstly, owing to the delays which have occurred in the implementation of the current statistical programme;

- secondly, owing to the problems which may arise in the relations which Eurostat establishes with national statistical institutes and, where appropriate, their regional partners, in connection with the establishment of the Community statistical system.

11. As regards the delays (see the summary table), owing to a lack of resources it has not been possible to compile a large number of the sectoral statistics required (the Commission points out in Annex 1 to the proposal for a decision). The delays have occurred in connection with issues of varying degrees of priority. Furthermore, some of the issues concerned relate to a variety of titles, so a certain degree of overlapping cannot be ruled out.

12. The Commission does not state whether the delays have been due to a lack of human resources or of financial resources, or to both at the same time. It is also impossible to determine whether the delays referred to are connected with implementation of the measures to be funded under Chapter B5-60 or with implementation of the 'budgetary partnership'. Similarly, it is impossible to say whether they are caused by structural factors (problems arising in the running of the programme, such as the failure of some of the statistical methodologies used) or short-term factors (problems relating to the lines covered by the 'budgetary partnership').

13. Whatever the causes, it cannot be ascertained rom the details given on the new programme whether it will be possible to make up the delays which have built up during the course of the current programme and whether provision has been made for an early-warning mechanism to alert us in good time to the occurrence of further delays. Such a mechanism could, for example, be incorporated into the Commission's annual legislative programme with a view to guarding against chronic delays.

14. Relations with the national authorities are based on the subsidiarity principle. Council Regulation (EC) No 322/97 on Community statistics lays down rules for the production of Community statistics and, a priori, provides an adequate basis for the establishment of a network. Nonetheless, the shape which the programme actually takes is directly linked to this aspect, which is an area in which controversy may well arise over issues such as working methods or the setting of deadlines. As the Commission points out, such controversies are likely to be exacerbated as the statistical network expands (applicant countries). Major problems are already being experienced in ensuring that data are kept up to date and appropriate mechanisms should be introduced to overcome these problems and to bring the programme's implementation and its annual budget into line with one another.

15. Lastly, with regard to the 'budgetary partnership', the volume of appropriations under 'ancillary' lines appears to be on a downward trend. Overall, such appropriations have fallen by ECU 6358 m in respect of the period 1998-2002 while, at the same time, the appropriations entered against B5-60 have risen by ECU 5380 m. In budgetary terms, therefore, the decrease in the overall volume of appropriations entered against the 'ancillary' lines has not been matched by an equal increase in the appropriations entered against the principal budget line and, as far as the overall structure of the programme is concerned, the 'partnership' component has lost ground to the principal component. These interrelated trends should be clarified and evaluated in the light of the decentralized management objectives set under SEM 2000, and Eurostat's role should perhaps be redefined in the light of the new situation arising from the Amsterdam Treaty and entry into the third stage of EMU.

16. The text referred to the legislative authority takes the form of a proposal for a decision accompanied by an annex providing a multitude of details on the various titles (policy areas). This annex may be amended. Nonetheless, the real question is whether the annex is the right place for information which is indeed useful but which could have been placed in another section of the Commission document. The annex to the decision should be restricted to setting out the various policy areas which the programme is to cover and the priorities for work in each policy area.

17. For each title, the annex in fact contains several sections which do not require the formal approval of the legislative authority, namely an introduction, a summary setting out the priorities for each sectoral statistical programme, information on secondary legal bases, details of other Commission documents (interim reports, communications, etc.) and information on progress made in implementing the current programme.

18. The political priorities set for each sectoral statistical programme (e.g. the free movement of goods, culture, public health and economic and social cohesion) certainly do need to be approved by the legislative authority. However, it is hard to see why the sections on secondary legal references or other Commission documents should be included in the legislative act itself. The inclusion of such information in the annex to the decision appears unnecessary and out of all proportion to the objectives set for the programme.

CONCLUSIONS

19. The Committee on Budgets calls on the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy

(a) to seek to draw up a straightforward, operational Annex 1 to the proposal for a decision, in conjunction with the Commission. In particular Annex 1 should be confined to setting out the specific action to be taken in respect of each of the 18 titles as shown in the attached summary table (PE 227.289/Ann). Annex I should therefore be amended in such a way as to contain basic information on the pogramme's objectives, set out in two columns bearing the headings 'Title' and 'Objectives'.

SUMMARY TABLE

Annex 1
Title	Objectives		Current programme: themes in respect of which delays have occurred
Title I - Free movement of goods	- improve the operation of the Intrastat system and the quality of its results in terms of precision and availability; - reduce the burden on respondents by alternative and simplification proposals;- conduct an in-depth analysis of the links with VAT systems and propose an alternative system.		- Industry (theme 44)- Distributive trades (theme 47)
Title II - Agriculture (including fisheries)	- apply the TAPAS scheme for progressive improvements to the existing set of agricultural statistics, mainly as far as quality, comparability and timeliness are concerned;- plan the development of a new generation of agricultural statistics with the aim of meeting the future needs of the CAP;- develop comparable data for the negotiations on the enlargement of the Union;- consolidate and improve fishery statistics data flows.		- delayed analysis of survey findings (theme 62)
Title III - Free movement of persons, services and capital	- harmonization of concepts used in the area of migration, and as used in censuses, social surveys and administrative registers;- analysis of available data.		- Services (theme 51) - Distributive trades (theme 47)
Title IV - Transports	- further implementation of the legal bases recently adopted by the Council in the field of transport statistics;- adaptation of the legal bases currently in force as a result of the liberalization of various modes of transport in Europe;- development of a statistical system on intermodal transport.		None.
Title V - Common rules on competition, taxation and approximation of laws	- improving the quality and comparability of macro-economic data from national accounts.		- Industry(theme 44) - Services (theme 51) - Distributive trades (theme 47)
Title VI - Economic and monetary policy	- pursue the development and production of statistics needed for monitoring monetary union and the pact on stability and growth;- implement the regulation on the European system of accounts (ESA 95).		None.
Titre VII - Common commercial policy	- implementation of the revised international concepts and definitions for trade statistics;- development of indicators for measuring the impact of the globalization of the economy on business, labour market and trade statistics.		- Statistics on the international trade in services and foreign investment (theme 54) - Technical cooperation with third countries (theme 21)
Title VIII - Social policy, education, vocational training and youth	- consolidation and analysis of work on population and migration;- development of a continuous labour force survey and implementation of quarterly employment costs statistics;- implementation of a new continuing vocational training survey and extension of the scope of data collection;- continuation of statistical projects on health and safety;- continuation of both the household survey and the panel and improvement of statistics on poverty;- implementation of the time-use survey;- consolidation of social protection statistics.		- Time-use survey (theme 36)
Title IX - Culture	- developing a set of cultural statistics from existing sources.		None.
Title X - Public health	- establishment of Community health indicators including the selection of relevant information and data for exchange between Member States and the Commission and international organizations, and with conceptual work relating to the process of making the data comparable;- development of a Community-wide network for sharing and transferring health data between Member States and the Commission and international organizations (based on the IDA-CARE telematics projet);- development of methods and tools necessary for analysis and reporting on health status, trends and determinants, and the effects of policies on health.		None.
Title XI - Consumer protection	- providing technical assistance for the collection and evaluation of data;- establishing new rules, definitions, coding and classifications, taking into account codes and models already existing at Community or international level.		None.
Title XII - Trans-European networks			None.
Energy	- consolidating and improving trade statistics in the field of energy;- developing a set of statistics on the environmental impact of energy.
Telematic networks	- implementation of an inter-organizational network with all partners of the Community statistical system for collection and exchange of data;- establishment of a European reference environment for the dissemination of data.
Transport networks	- analysis of the sources and methods to be used in introducing statistics on transport infrastructures within the framework of a geographical information system..
Title XIII - Industry	- implementation of the regulations on structural business statistics and on short-term indicators of industry;- consolidation of the PRODCOM system;- development of a new set of steel statistics for the future;- development of statistics on intangible investment, subcontracting and globalization.		- Industry (theme 44)
Title XIV - Economic and Social Cohesion	- defining, establishing and monitoring the new Community regional policy; - extending the sectoral and geographical coverage of regional statistics;- developing a European geographical information system in cooperation with the national statistical institutes.		None.
Title XV - Research and technological development
Statistics on research and innovation	- launching new actions in the R&D field to measure its performance and impact;- extending the innovation survey and ensuring better coordination of data collection.
Statistical research	- development of adequate tools and promotion of exchanges with the scientific community and the users of technology;- promotion of new methods within a framework of best practice.
Title XVI - Environment	- pursue the development of environmental statistics and improve their dissemination;- continue the production of pressure indexes;- develop a set of statistics linking environment and economy;- develop a set of satellite accounts for the environment.		- provision of basic data for environmental statistics (theme 71)
Title XVII - Development Cooperation			-Technical cooperation with third countries (theme 21)
Cooperation with countries in transition (Central and Eastern Europe and New Independent States)	- continuing technical assistance and training for the countries in transition;- improving the information system on pre-accession and transition countries.
Cooperation with third countries	- continuing technical assistance and training for third countries according to the needs of partner countries and to the priorities fixed by the Community;- assisting applicant countries in improving their statistical systems so as to be able to meet Community requirements.
Title XVIII - Community statistical work not covered by Treaty titles			- monitoring of Community own resources (theme 43)
Community own resources	- continuing the monitoring and checking work on the data provided by the Member States; - checking the correct implementation of the ESA 95 system of accounts.
Enlargement of the European Union	-collecting harmonized data for the negotiations with pre-accession countries;- assisting applicant countries in improving their statistical systems to meet Community requirements.

(b) incorporate the following amendments into its report:

(Amendment 1)

Recital 5a

5a. whereas, for the purposes of implementing this programme, a partnership should be established between the Commission, the national authorities and, where appropriate, their regional partners, and the respondents (households, individuals or companies);

(Amendment 2)

Recital 5b

5b. whereas, when it presents its annual legislative programme, the Commission shall provide information on the state of progress of this partnership on the basis of an annual report drawn up by Eurostat;

(Amendment 3)

Article 1

The Community statistical programme shall define the approaches, the main fields and the objectives of the actions envisaged during the period from 1998 to 2002. The programme is annexed hereto.

The Community statistical programme shall establish the approaches, the main fields and the objectives of the actions envisaged during the period from 1998 to 2002. The statistical work/specific action plans to be implemented under this programme are set out in Annex 1. 22 September 1998

OPINION

(Rule 147)

for the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy

on the proposal for a Council decision on a Community Statistical Programme 1998-2002 (COM(97)0735 - C4-0197/98 - 98/0012(CNS); report by Mrs Lulling

Committee on Research, Technological Development and Energy

Draftsman: Mr Ulf Holm

Procedure

At its meeting of 20 May 1998 the Committee on Research, Technological Development and Energy appointed Mr Holm draftsman.

It considered the draft opinion at its meetings of 3 September 1998 and 22 September 1998.

At the latter meeting the committee approved the conclusions unanimously.

The following were present for the vote: Quisthoudt-Rowohl, acting chairman; Adam, vice-chairman; Holm, draftsman; Linkohr, Marset Campos, Mombaur, Soulier, W.G. van Velzen.

Background

The task of Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities in Luxembourg, is to provide the European Union, its institutions, national governments and authorities, those responsible for political decisions, and the general public, with a high-quality statistical information service.

In accordance with the Council Regulation (EC) no 322/97, the Community should be able to have timely access to comparable statistical information between the Member States which is up-to-date, reliable, relevant and produced as efficiently as possible for the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of its policies. The Amsterdam Treaty introduced a new legal basis for statistics (Art.213a) under the codecision procedure.

The present Commission document (COM(97)735 final) describes the statistical requirements, judged by Eurostat, as necessary for all of the policy titles of the Treaty. 18 policy titles have been defined. The proposed five year programme for 1998-2002 is the fifth successive medium term programme of work prepared by Eurostat.

The budgetary arrangements described in the communication seem rather complicated. If all of the activities described in the Statistical Programme were engaged, then the total operational resource requirements from the Community budgetary resource are estimated at between 83 MECU and 95 MECU per year for the five year period. The total cost would naturally include the complementary resources necessary at national level. However, it is mentioned that "this present level of resources cannot satisfy all needs"."Partnerships" with other Directorates General are suggested whereby part of financing would come from operational lines established for specific Community policy programmes elsewhere in the budget.

The Community Statistical System is facing growing difficulties in meeting the statistical information needed to monitor the ever increasing policy requirements of the Community both in "traditional" policy areas (such as agriculture, regional policy, external trade and transport) and in "new" policy domains, where the statistical systems are not yet even established. We should also bear in mind that relations with the national authorities are based on the subsidiarity principle.

Innovation, R&D and energy

The least we can do is to make sure that there are no cuts from the development of statistics on innovation, R&D and statistical research. There is a strong correlation between R&D and innovation on the one hand and productivity, growth and job creation on the other. R&D and innovation is needed to improve the competitive position of European industry and is fundamental to job creation and economic growth. R&D and innovation is also needed in order to make the "sustainable development" a reality.

The European Parliament, and especially, its Committee on Research, Technological Development and Energy have continuously expressed the wish for an Energy Chapter in the Treaty. In the Amsterdam Treaty, no specific Energy Chapter was included. However, for the first time, the European Commission has transmitted a proposal for an Energy Framework Programme for actions in the energy sector. There is a clear need for establishing a monitoring system for the implementation of the internal energy market. Also, the support for enlargement of the European Union should include a particular coordination effort concerning energy actions. Great emphasis on the role of energy in the post-Kyoto strategy on climate change is needed. It is important to encourage forward analyses and market monitoring activities between the Commission, Member States and industry. Energy related statistics is one of the key elements in helping to achieve "sustainable development".

Article 2 of the Proposal explicitly mentions that the statistical programme shall cover the principal community policy priorities of

. Economic and Monetary Union . Competitivity, Growth and Employment. EU enlargement

R&D, innovation and energy policy are essentially included in all these community policy priorities. Surprisingly and unfortunately, there have been delays in the implementation of the current statistical programme, and at the moment ( August 1998), there is no legal base to continue the work on research and technological development including statistics on innovation and statistical research (Title XV), or the work on trans-European networks including energy, telematic networks and transport networks (Title XII).

Conclusions

The Committee on Research, Technological Development and Energy calls on the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy , as the Committee responsible, to incorporate the following conclusions in its report:

1. Emphasizes that statistical information is of primary importance if the institutions of the EU are to have any means whatsoever of determining on a factual basis both the need for European policy initiatives as well as the progress such initiatives are making;

2. Notes that many national statistics systems are reaching the level where they can provide valuable qualitative and quantitative information; urges the Commission to continue to implement the same methodologies in all Member States in order to make it possible to compare all statistical data at Community level;

3. Recognizes Eurostat's important role in transmission of data between Member States, in developing tools for data analysis and in statistical research in general; points out that enough budgetary resources should be devoted by the Commission to those activities;

4. Emphasizes Eurostat's important role in transmission of data, including various innovation indicators, for the Fifth Framework Programme on R&D; efficient output measurement and evaluation methods need to be developed in cooperation between Eurostat and the other concerned DGs of the Commission; new surveys in the Member States are needed, and funds are needed for developing these new tools;

5. Emphasizes Eurostat's important role in transmission of energy related data for the first Energy Framework Programme; there is a need to establish a monitoring system for the implementation of the internal energy market; there is a need for coordination concerning enlargement of the EU and energy actions; there is a need to give special emphasis to the role of energy in the postKyoto strategy and in the sustainable development; forward analyses and market monitoring activities between the Commission, Member States and industry need to be encouraged.

6. Urges the Council to put in place the Community Statistical Programme 1998-2002 with an adequate budget.

29 June 1998

OPINION

(Rule 147)

for the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy

on the proposal for a Council decision on the Community statistical programme 1998-2002 (COM(97)0735 - C4-0197/98 - 98/0012(CNS); report by Mrs Lulling)

Committee on External Economic Relations

Draftsman: Mr Manuel Porto

PROCEDURE

At its meeting of 19 March 1998 the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy appointed Mr Manuel Porto draftsman.

It considered the draft opinion at its meetings of 19 and 25 June 1998.

At the latter meeting it adopted the following conclusions unanimously.

The following were present for the vote: Sainjon, vice-chairman and acting chairman; Moniz and Kittelmann, vice-chairmen; Bernard-Reymond (for Casini Pier), van Bladel (for Karoutchi), van Dam (for Souchet), Ferrer, Hindley, Smith and Sonneveld (for Schwaiger).

I. The present Community statistical system

This is based on a network of official agencies in the Member States known collectively as the Community statistical system (CSS), it also covers the EFTA countries. The ultimate goal of the CSS is to meet all needs for statistics in the EU in an integrated and harmonized manner, laid down in Council Decision 89/382/EEC and in Regulation (EC) No 322/97. One of the main problems in the operation of the present system is the provision of the statistics required in time.

II. Aim of the Commission proposal: to provide a structured and rational approach to the options to be selected to enable the CSS to meet the challenges it faces

In practice this means redeploying operational and human resources to respect the priority actions in the statistical programme. Taking the priorities in the work programme into account, these resources will have to be redeployed so as:

'(i) To reallocate project start-up resources for Macro-economic statistics under EMU to complementary areas, whilst maintaining the level of resource necessary for on-going production. This will come into play notably from year 2000 onwards.

(ii) To gradually shift the balance of resources within the Business statistics area from Industrial statistics to reinforce the Service statistics activities, and to gradually reduce the manpower resources allocated to Trade in Goods statistics activities.

(iii) To ensure a steady increase in the resources allocated to environment and social statistics over the 5 year period to meet priority policy demands.

(iv) To reinforce trends to more effective administrative and operational management and thus reduce the human resource requirement in this area, modulated by the decentralization of administrative activities envisaged under MAP 2000.'[1]

III. Main targets of the Community statistical programme in respect of external economic relations

1. Common commercial policy

The Community needs full, swift and detailed information on the trade in goods to at least the same standards as those of its most efficient partners. The existing system needs to be maintained at its present level or better. In areas related to the General Agreement on Trade and Services (GATS), the statistics on international trade in services, foreign direct investment and foreign affiliates trade will have to be developed; this is a high priority. The same will apply to statistics measuring the impact of globalization of the economy, to be carried out in close cooperation with the national statistical institutes of the Member States and international organizations with a view to developing indicators for measuring the impact of the globalization of the economy on businesses, labour markets and trade statistics.

2. Transeuropean networks

The TEN initiative has provided renewed impetus and a new dimension to energy statistics as energy is now a factor in several fields: competition policy, transport, research and development, the environment and in particular in the context of the accession of new Member States: operating results for traditional sources of energy, use of renewable energy sources, rationalization and diversification of the use of various energy sources.

3. Development cooperation in central and eastern Europe and in the CIS

Twelve PHARE states have over the last two years signed specific common declarations on statistics with Eurostat with a view to intensified standardization of data and the exchange of data with the Union. The fact that ten PHARE countries have requested membership of the Union is enough in itself to justify the intensified flow of information required for technical assistance to these countries and the most accurate and complete details of its results.

4. Transport

The implementation of the common transport policy within the Union and its extension to neighbouring countries, in particular in eastern and central Europe, obviously requires the deployment of appropriate statistical instruments to ensure the consistency of such a policy.

IV. Cost of the programme

The resources required for the Community statistical programme for 1998-2002 should lie between ECU 83 and 95 m per year (Community budgetary resources required to undertake all scheduled activities). The total cost will also include the resources required at national level.

V. Conclusions

The Committee on External Economic Relations,

1. Notes that there is a need to improve the collection and dissemination of statistical data as a whole, including those relating to financial services and the related capital movements;

2. Insists on the need in particular to improve the collection and dissemination of statistical data concerning relations between the EU and non-member countries;

3. Hopes that the implementation of the new programme will not however be a source of pointless bureaucratic harassment of SMUs in particular, in both the Union and its partners;

4. Draws attention to the need for the large scale publication and dissemination of the statistics thus obtained, by the most appropriate means and to the widest possible public, so that all potential users may have access to recent, reliable and comprehensive data;

5. Attaches the greatest importance to the standardization of statistical data at international level and calls on the Commission to press ahead with all efforts already begun to that effect;

6. Approves the Commission proposal.

3 September 1998

• [1] COM(97)0735, p. 5.

OPINION

(Rule 147)

for the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy

on the proposal for a Council Decision on the Community Statistical Programme 1998-2002 (COM(97)0735 - C4-0197/98 - 98/0012/CNS);(report by Mrs Astrid Lulling)

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

Draftsman: Mr Jan Andersson

At its meeting of 28 April 1998, the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs appointed Mr Jan Andersson draftsman.

It considered the draft opinion at its meetings of 30 June 1998 and 2/3 September 1998.

At the last meeting it adopted the following conclusions unanimously.

The following were present for the vote:Hughes, chairman; Ojala , vice-chairwoman; Andersson, draftsman; Bennasar Tous (for Castagnetti), Boogerd-Quaak, Chanterie, Deprez (for Colli Comelli), Ettl, Glase, Hernandez Mollar, Lindqvist, Mann, Megahy, Morris, Oddy (for Cabezón Alonso), Peter, Pirker, Pronk, Schmidbauer (for Carniti), Skinner, Sornosa Martínez, Theonas, van Velzen, Waddington, Weiler and Wolf.

I. Introduction

Eurostat together with the National Statistical Institutes constitutes the official statistical network of the European Union upon which rests the responsibility for the collection and presentation of data covering its needs. This network known as the Community Statistical System (CSS) operates within the framework of the Council Decision on the Statistical Programme Committee[1] and the Council Regulation on Community Statistics[2].

The Commission has submitted a proposal for the fifth successive medium term work-programme for Eurostat covering the period 1998-2002. It defines the priorities, the main objectives and actions envisaged for each area covered by the Treaty. At present the CSS is confronted with a conflict between priorities and resources allocated to satisfy them while it witnesses the increase of the statistical needs of the EU, both in existing and in new policy areas.

It is clear that the statistical programme of the EU has to reflect the necessary choices required to meet the statistical needs of the EU. The following policy areas of priority have been identified by the Commission: Economic and Monetary Union, Competitivity, Growth and Employment, EU enlargement.

II. A new policy focus

The Luxembourg Extraordinary Summit on Employment marked a new turn in the EU's policy requirements. The decision taken at Luxembourg to put immediately into effect the relevant provisions of the new Title on employment in the Treaty of Amsterdam, made possible the implementation of the coordination of Member States' employment policies. The implementation of a common employment strategy is based on common lines of approach for both objectives and means and rests on the framework provided by the "employment guidelines"[3]. These were adopted for the first time for the year 1998 by the Social Affairs Council on 15 December 1997.

The employment guidelines are translated by Member States into National Action Plans for Employment (NAPs) which constitute the vehicle for the implementation of the common strategy. For the EU to be able to construct a meaningful policy framework on that basis it has to avail itself of consistent, comparable, and timely statistical data at regular intervals. When these conditions are met statistical data become a powerful tool for the policy maker.

It is evident that to give impetus to the new policy priorities Eurostat has to be able to fulfil the conditions mentioned above. All the same, your draftsman believes that the Committee has to indicate clearly which new requirements have to be covered as a matter of priority during the period of the current programme. The Commission correctly identifies as a problem which needs to be addressed the absence of both short-term statistics on the labour market and comparable data on unemployment and salaries. It also recognises the need for appropriate data on measuring employment performance in the context of the guidelines.

III. Specific statistical needs

In addition to providing for the correction of inadequacies mentioned earlier on, your draftsman identified the following specific needs that will have to be covered as a matter of priority:

a. In the field of employment policy

- Appropriate indicators have to be made available to monitor progress under the four pillars of the employment guidelines. Workforce surveys as the Labour Force Survey are of particular importance in reflecting developments in the labour market and should be conducted more frequently (currently performed on an annual basis). Equally helpful would be the creation of a statistical series on earnings and labour costs complemented by a common definition of "indirect costs" and an indication of indirect cost as a % of total labour cost. Detailed information with regard to the number of hours worked at a weekly and annual basis is needed. In addition, indicators should be provided monitoring the integration of people with disabilities into the labour market and data on employment in the social economy should also be made available.

b. In the field of social policy

- The frequency of the Household Budget Survey has to be increased and broader information should be provided on income in order for it to become more useful and to reveal differences between sexes. Data on income distribution are crucial as a measure of wealth and standard of living and a parallel effort should be made for the development of common indicators for poverty. The supply of comparative data on social protection expenditure, including a breakdown of "active" and "passive" measures would be helpful for the monitoring of progress in the implementation of the National Action Plans.

c. In the field of education and training

- It is important to be able to monitor the transition from education to the labour market, to elaborate a common definition for "school drop-outs" and to provide information at regular intervals on the drop-out rate and on educational attainment by gender. Within the context of vocational training a common definition of lifelong learning is necessary and data on vocational education and training should be made available by branch of activity.

IV. Conclusions

The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs calls on the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy, as the Committee responsible, to incorporate the following conclusions in its report:

1. Whereas the decision by the Heads of State and Government to put immediately into effect the relevant provisions of the new Title on employment in the Treaty of Amsterdam and the subsequent adoption of the Employment Guidelines for 1998 creates the necessity for the close monitoring of their implementation through the National Employment Action Plans;

2. Whereas persistent inadequacies, like the problem of comparability of statistical indicators used by the Member States and the considerable lapse of time in the collection of various labour market data constitutes a serious handicap that needs to be corrected;

3. Calls on the Commission and Eurostat to submit proposals for methods of ensuring the comparability of the data collected in the Member States;

4. Calls for the statistical surveys in the field of employment policy to be conducted at shorter intervals and to contain more detailed statistical data on cross-sectoral matters;

5. Considers as a matter of priority the provision of adequate, comparable statistical data in the field of employment policy especially:

- on the four pillars of the employment guidelines, by creating common indicators to monitor employment measures taken by the Member States, and thereby providing statistics for 'active' and 'passive' expenditure as well as for the number of (2 words deleted) unemployed persons who take part in different employment measures,

- on the number of hours worked at a weekly and annual basis, on producing genderdisaggregated data on unpaid work by realizing the Time Use Survey,

- on the integration of people with disabilities into the labour market,

- on employment in the social economy,

6. Calls for the provision of adequate statistical information in the field of social policy especially:

- by strengthening the frequency of the Household Budget Survey,

- by developing common indicators for poverty,

- by supplying comparative data on social protection expenditure and receipts (including a breakdown of "active" and "passive" expenditure),

- by providing comparative data on the supply and demand for childcare and parental leave.

- by collecting data on provisions for old age (broken down, for example, by state pensions and supplementary pensions),

7. Strongly supports the provision of adequate statistical information in the field of education and training especially:

- on the transition from education, vocational education and training to the labour market,

- on school drop-out rates and on educational attainment by gender,

- on lifelong learning,

- on vocational education and training by branch of activity,

- on the transition from sheltered employment to open employment;

8. Underlines the necessity for all EU statistics in the fields of employment policy, social policy, education and training to provide a comparable analysis by gender, disability and age.

• [1]  Decision 89/382/EEC.
• [2]  Regulation (EC) 322/97.
• [3]  Article 128 of the Treaty of Amsterdam.

OPINION

(Rule 147)

for the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy

on the proposal for a Council Decision on the Community Statistical Programme 1998-2002 (COM(97)0735 - C4-0197/98 - 98/0012(CNS); report by Mrs Lulling)

Committee on Transport and Tourism

Letter from the committee chairman to Mr Karl von Wogau, chairman of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy

Brussels, 2 September 1998

Dear Mr Chairman,

The Committee on Transport and Tourism considered the above subject at its meeting of 2 September 1998.

The submission of accurate, up-to-date and harmonized statistics compiled on the basis of treating the single market as a single territorial unit is one of the essential conditions for any policy, and thus also for transport policy, at Community level. In the absence of such data, it would be impossible for any common policy to be draw up, supported, monitored or assessed.

As the Commission acknowledges in its five-year statistical programme, it is in relation to the development of trans-European networks that there exists a particular need for accurate and comparable information, for improvements in compilation methods and for new concepts in data analysis and presentation.

In accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 322/97 of 17 February 1997 on Community statistics[1] - which can be considered as the relevant basic regulation - and Commission Decision 97/281/EC of 21 April 1997 on Eurostat's responsibility to produce Community statistics[2], Eurostat must conform, in discharging its duties, to the principles of impartiality, accuracy, relevance, cost-effectiveness, statistical secrecy and transparency, both in arranging for the distribution of statistics by national authorities and simultaneously protecting the confidentiality of the data collected.

Attention has been drawn in a number of Council enactments to the need for comparable, accurate, synchronized and regular statistics on the extent and growth of transport operations, in particular Council Decision 93/704/EC of 30 November 1993 on setting up a Community road-accident database[3] and Council Directive 95/64/EC of 8 December 1995 concerning the compilation of statistics on the transport of goods and passengers by sea[4].

The Committee on Transport and Tourism is also concerned to confirm the impact of transport on the environment and safety; to that end it needs accurate data and common databases, requirements that - quite unusually for statistics - have now become real political priorities.

Among the activites for which arrangements have already been made by the Commission, considerable importance is attached to developing a statistical system for intermodal transport.

There is moreover a very strong interest in updating statistical sources in order to confirm the impact of transport liberalization in Europe in terms of its social consequences, in particular as it affects employment.

Lastly, the Committee on Transport and Tourism looks with satisfaction at the fact that none of the statistical work in the sectors falling within its terms of reference has been delayed due to resource constraints, and repeats the request already set out in the earlier Bazin report on the proposal for a Council Regulation on statistical returns in respect of carriage of goods by road (A4-0072/98) for Parliament to be kept constantly informed of progress with the relevant activities.

(Closing formula and signature)

Jean-Pierre Bazin

The following took part in the vote: Bazin, chairman; Wijsenbeek and Lüttge, vice-chairmen; Aparício Sánchez, Bennasar Tous (for Sisó Cruellas), Camisón Asensio, Castricum, Cornelissen, van Dam, Danesin, Donnay, Grosch, Jarzembowski, Koch, Lataillade (for Killilea), McIntosh, Megahy, Moreau, Paasio (for Swoboda), Sarlis, Schierhuber (for Langenhagen), Schlechter, Schmidbauer, Seal, Simpson, Sindal, Stockmann (for Piecyk), Tamino (for van Dijk) and Watts.

3 September 1998

• [1]  OJ L 52, 22.2.1997, p. 1.
• [2]  OJ L 112, 29.4.1997, p. 56.
• [3]  OJ L 329, 30.12.1993, p. 63.
• [4]  OJ L 320, 30.12.1995, p. 25.

OPINION

(Rule 147)

for the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy

on the proposal for a Council Decision on the Community Statistical Programme 1998-2002 (COM(97)0735 - C4-0197/98 - 98/0012(CNS)) (report by Mrs Lulling)

Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection

Draftsman: Johannes Blokland

PROCEDURE

At its meeting of {9-6-1998}22 April 1998 the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection appointed Mr Johannes Blokland draftsman.

It considered the draft opinion at its meetings of 20 July and 3 September 1998.

At the latter meeting it adopted the following conclusions by 18 votes to 3, with 3 abstentions.

The following took part in the vote: Collins, chairman; Poggiolini, vice-chairman; Blokland, draftsman; Bowe, Breyer, Cabrol, Eisma, Grossetête, Hautala (for Tamino), Hulthén, K. Jensen, Kuhn, Marinucci, McKenna, Needle, Pinel (for Stirbois), Pollack, Van Putten, Roth-Behrendt, Schlechter (for Whitehead), Schleicher, Schnellhardt, Trakatellis and White.

1. Introduction

The Community Statistical Programme 1998-2002 proposed by the Commission reflects well the priorities for Community policy in the years ahead. In view of the remit of the committee delivering this opinion, this document will confine itself to considering Title X, public health, Title XI, consumer protection, and Title XVI, environment, of the Commission proposal, stressing the last of these in particular.

2. General comments

(a) One fundamental omission in the proposed programme of work is that it does not primarily focus on revealing the links between economic, social and environmental developments in the European Union. In order to take policy decisions, it is vital to have an adequate understanding of these trends and particularly of the connections and interactions between them. The programme should therefore provide for resources to be made available to link environmental and social statistics to national accounts.

(b) Article 2 of the proposal for a Council decision fails to mention the environment as one of the priorities of the Community's policy on statistics. Rather than 'growth', 'sustainable development' should be a policy priority.

(c) In the description of the proposals in Title XVI, Environment, the Commission adopts an ambivalent attitude. On the one hand it wishes to compile environmental statistics in conjunction with socioeconomic statistics. On the other hand it proposes, separately from economic statistics, to establish separate links between environmental and social statistics and environmental and employment statistics. The latter is contrary to the Commission communication on environmental indicators and green national accounting (COM(94)0670) and to the European Parliament's statements on the subject in its resolution (Diez de Riveira Icaza report). The proposed resources for the development of separate links must therefore be deleted. The resources made available as a result can then be used to develop a single integrated system of satellite accounting for economic, social (including employment) and environmental statistics.

(d) As the environment is one of the main points in the accession process for Central and Eastern European countries, it is astonishing that the priorities do not include extending the database to the applicant countries. In this of all fields, Eurostat ought to ensure that complete statistics are gathered in the main sectors with which it is concerned.

3. Lack of funding

In order for public decision-making to function properly in a democracy, the independence and reliability of statistics should be guaranteed. Where resources are inadequate, there is a danger that this crucial requirement may fall by the wayside. As one arm of the budgetary authority, Parliament should make an effort to reserve sufficient funds. Bearing in mind how scarce resources are at the moment, the lack of any clear statement of priorities by the Commission in Title XVI, environment, is deeply regrettable. As far as we are concerned, the highest priority should be assigned to ascertaining the causes of pressure on the environment where the greatest environmental problems exist. This would particularly seem to apply to waste, water consumption and use of resources. Eurostat is the appropriate body to collect data on these subjects. Compiling environmental statistics as a basis for the satellite accounting referred to at 2(c) above therefore deserves absolute priority. This calls for effective cooperation with the European Environment Agency, to ensure an efficient division of responsibilities and use of funds.

4. Environmental pressure indices or satellite accounting?

The development of environmental pressure indices is time-consuming and expensive, and their scientific validity is very questionable. It should be halted immediately. It is not only unwise but astonishing that, despite the critical attitude of Parliament and national statistical offices towards Eurostat's approach to environmental pressure indices, the Commission has included in the programme provision for it to continue, and has reserved funding for this. The problem with the indices is that they are obtained by combining facts with weighting factors. They therefore do not give politicians any objective information which could serve as a basis for correct policy decisions. Another important disadvantage is that, when either circumstances or the assessments of experts change, it is virtually impossible to adjust the weighting factors. An example of such a change is the forthcoming accession of Central and Eastern European countries. The continued production of environmental pressure indices should therefore be deleted from the programme's objectives. In cooperation with the European Environment Agency, efforts should be made to publish worthwhile environmental policy indicators regularly. This could gear statistics more closely to the agreed policy priorities in the Fifth Environment Action Programme. A major advantage of such an approach would be that more resources would be released to develop an integrated system of satellite accounting based on a series of statistics which really do objectively demonstrate the links between the environment and social and economic factors. Moreover, the satellite accounting approach can be implemented far more cheaply. The SESAME system developed in the Netherlands, for instance, illustrates this.

5. Waste and recycling of natural materials

The Commission quite rightly draws attention to significant gaps in the information available concerning waste, recycling, water consumption and discharges, and use of hazardous and scarce materials. The efforts to compile and publish statistics on these important subjects therefore deserve every praise. A useful supplement to them would be information about the material-intensity of economic operations per sector and country.

6. Environmentally damaging subsidies

'Finance' could be added to the 'other important contributory themes' listed under the heading Policy needs and Eurostat outputs. As well as taxation of environmentally damaging operations and energy, Eurostat could look at environmentally damaging subsidies as part of this topic. These include all measures which result in less than the market price being paid for the use of environmental assets or natural resources. As well as damaging the environment, such measures also distort markets. Clarification of such undesirable subsidy schemes has recently been called for within the OECD, and this is essential in order to tackle the problem.

7. CONCLUSIONS

The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection calls on the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following amendments in its report:

Text proposed by the Commission Amendments

(Amendment 1)

Recital 5a (new)

Whereas objective and reliable statistics are very important for the public decision-making process at the level of the European Union and the Member States; whereas the independence of Eurostat and the national statistics bureaux must be ensured and they should therefore be endowed with adequate financial resources;

(Amendment 2)

Article 2, first paragraph, second indent

. Competitivity, Growth and Employment

. Competitivity, Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly Development and Employment

(Amendment 3)

Annex 1, Title X, Public Health, Summary, fourth indent (new)

* genuine efforts to introduce a breakdown by gender in all relevant statistics on the state of and trend in public health for the policy in this area;

(Amendment 4)

Annex I, Title XVI, Summary

The main effort in the next 5 years will be to:* pursue the development of environment statistics and improve their dissemination;	The main effort in the next 5 years will be to:* pursue the development of environment statistics, with the emphasis on the collection of basic data, and improve their dissemination;
* continue the production of pressure indexes;	* continue the production of environmental indicators that can be related to the various sectors of the economy;
* develop a set of statistics linking environment and economy;	* develop a set of statistics linking environment and economy;
* develop a set of satellite accounts for the environment.	* develop a set of satellite accounts for the environment with which developments in the areas of the economy, the environment and social affairs (including employment) can be jointly analysed;
	* make a major effort to introduce a breakdown by gender in all relevant environmental statistics for the policy on the environment and public health;
	* increase cooperation with the European Environment Agency.

(Amendment 5)

Annex I, Title XVI, Environment - Policy needs and Eurostat outputs

.Text proposed by the Commission

Treaty Title: Eurostat Work Themes

Title XVI: Environment

Principal Themes of work necessary for this Policy Area:

41 Quarterly and environment accounts;71 Environment statistics and indicators;

Other Important Contributory Themes:

44 Industry;

45 Energy and raw materials;48 Transport;

50 Tourism;

61 Land use and countryside;62 Agricultural structures;64 Crop production;65 Animal production;68 Forestry statistics.

.Amendments

Treaty Title:Eurostat Work Themes

Title XVI: Environment

Principal Themes of work necessary for this Policy Area:

41 Quarterly and environment accounts;71 Environment statistics and indicators

Other Important Contributory Themes:

44 Industry;

45 Energy and raw materials;48 Transport;

50 Tourism;52 Money and finance;61 Land use and countryside;62 Agricultural structures;64 Crop production;65 Animal production;68 Forestry statistics.

OPINION

(Rule 147 of the Rules of Procedure)

for the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy

on the proposal for a Council Decision on the Community Statistical Programme 1998-2002 (COM(97)0735 - C4-0197/98 - 98/0012(CNS); report by Mrs Lulling)

Committee on Culture, Youth, Education and the Media

Letter from the committee chairman to Mr von Wogau, chairman of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy

Brussels, 21 July 1998

Dear Mr von Wogau,

The Committee on Culture, Youth, Education and the Media considered the above subject at its meeting of 21 July 1998.

At the meeting it adopted the following conclusions:[1]

The committee notes, first of all, that the proposal on the Community Statistical Programme (1998-2002) is intended to cover the period 1998-2002, and we are already mid-way through 1998, which suggests that the Commission"s thinking has taken rather a long time. Article 2 states that the statistical programme covers the main priorities of Community policy concerning

. Economic and Monetary Union. competitivity, growth and employment. EU enlargement.

The committee would argue that, as Agenda 2000 has shown, education should now be included in the European Union"s main priorities, obviously while respecting the principle of subsidiarity.

Taking this view as our starting point, which we trust the committee responsible shares, we must now consider how the statistical programme"s guidelines meet this priority.

Education is mentioned in Title VIII of the statistical programme, in a heading which also covers social policy, vocational training and youth.

Although the comments in this section stress the need to encourage statistics on education and training and the growing demand for comparable statistics at international level in these areas, which should be approved, it seems to us that the very structure of Title VIII underplays the need for specific statistics in the field of education, vocational training and youth and, by the same token, in the field of social policy.

Just as research and technological development quite rightly forms the subject of a separate section (Title XV), so the field of education, training and youth deserves a title to itself, and, in more practical terms, greater statistical attention. This is in the interest of Community policy but also, we should not forget, that of the various Member States and their coordinated action as encouraged, in particular, by Article 126 of the Treaty.

However, the committee can only welcome the fact that the statistical programme sets aside a specific section (Title IX) for culture, including the media industry. We can only agree that "in purely economic terms, the cultural sector is growing, not only as regards the volume and quality of the services produced but also as a source of job creation".

Finally, we should express general regret that, while the Commission document frequently refers to Council resolutions, it seems unaware of those adopted by Parliament. We may assume that this oversight will speedily be rectified when the implications of Maastricht and Amsterdam are properly understood.

The Committee on Culture, Youth, Education and the Media accordingly invites the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy to incorporate the following conclusions in its report:

1. In Article 2 of the proposal for a Decision, insert education and vocational training in the "principal Community policy priorities";

2. Subdivide Title VIII: "Social policy, education, vocational training and youth" into two separate sections, one for social policy and the other for education, vocational training and youth.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Pex

• [1]  The following were present for the vote: Pex, chairman; Baldi, vice-chairman; Elchlepp (for Evans), Heinisch, Kerr, Kristoffersen (for Pack), Leperre-Verrier, Mouskouri, Poisson, Tongue and Vaz da Silva.

OPINION

(Rule 147 of the Rules of Procedure)

for the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy

on the proposal for a Council Decision on the Community statistical programme 1998-2002 (COM(97)0735 - C4-0197/98 - 98/0012 (CNS)) - (report by Mrs Lulling)

Committee on Development and Cooperation

Letter from the committee chairman to Mr Von Wogau, chairman of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy

Brussels, 21 July 1998

Dear Mr Von Wogau,

The Committee on Development and Cooperation considered the above subject at its meeting of 24 June 1998.

At the meeting of 21 July 1998 it adopted the following conclusions:

The Committee on Development and Cooperation has carefully considered the Commission proposal for a fifth five-year Community statistical programme defining the strategies, priorities and objectives of the projects planned for the period 1998-2002.

The financial resources required to implement the programme are currently estimated to total ECU 83 to 95 million a year.

As the Commission says, the Community needs incontestable statistics as a basis for decisions in a growing number of policy areas. This is particularly so in the case of the European Union's development cooperation policy.

The Committee on Development and Cooperation notes with satisfaction that Title XVII, Development Cooperation, focuses on pursuing the following two main priority areas: obtaining reliable and comparable statistics for the purpose of deciding on and implementing the policies concerned and supporting the national and regional statistical systems of non-member countries so that they will be able to provide those statistics.

The Committee on Development and Cooperation emphasizes the importance it attaches to the technical cooperation the European Union should give the developing countries so that they can have the statistical instruments necessary for defining and implementing their policies at economic and social level.

The Committee on Development and Cooperation also points out that in the ACP countries more than elsewhere the statistics to be compiled should not be confined to economic and financial aspects. Everything concerning access to basic goods and services, starting with drinking water, health, education and in general all indicators developed by the UN programme for human development, should be observed and measured with the same application.

Support for the development and exploitation of the developing countries' resources - particularly in terms of human resources and public management - is one of the major priorities of the European Union's policy towards them.

The Committee on Development and Cooperation cannot therefore accept that such support, which it considers essential, should be deferred for lack of financial resources.

Technical cooperation with the developing countries should be continued at the same rate as under preceding programmes, and the allocation of financial resources provided for in the Community statistical programme should be reviewed accordingly.

Yours sincerely,

(sgd) Michel Rocard

The following took part in the vote: Rocard, chairman; Fassa, vice-chairman; Lehideux, vice-chairman; Aldo, Carlotti, Cunningham, Delcroix (for Vecchi), Fernández Albor (for Corrie), Fernández Martín, Gillis (for Martens), Günther, Howitt (for David), Liese, Lööw, Macartney, Maij-Weggen (for Baldini), McGowan, Mendes Bota (for Pomés Ruiz), Paasio, Pettinari, Plumb, Robles Piquer, Sakellariou (for Junker), Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra (for Verwaerde), Sauquillo Pérez Del Arco, Scarbonchi (for Hory), Telkämper and Thomas (for Pons Grau).

25 May 1998

OPINION

(Rule 147 of the Rules of Procedure)

for the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy

on the proposal for a Council Decision on the Community Statistical Programme 1998-2002 (COM(97)0735 - C4-0197/98 - 98/0012(CNS); report by Mrs Lulling)

Committee on Budgetary Control

Letter from the committee chairman to Mr Karl von Wogau, chairman of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy

Luxembourg, 25 May 1998

Dear Mr von Wogau,

The Committee on Budgetary Control considered the above subject at its meeting of 20 May 1998 and adopted the following conclusions:

The proposed five-year programme for 1998-2002 seeks to meet the needs of Community policies as users of Community statistics. A good proportion of those policies affect the Community budget and, as such, are subject to budgetary control at a technical level (by the Court of Auditors) and at political level (by the European Parliament and the Council in their capacity as the budgetary authority and discharge authority). Control is based to a large extent on statistical information; this in turn is the basis, for instance, for risk analyses concerning irregularities and fraud, ex ante and ex post facto assessments of policy effectiveness, and the reliability of budget forecasts and hence sound implementation. The statistical programme ought therefore to be tailored to control requirements, in particular as regards the following aspects:

. Own resources: The accuracy of national and Community statistics is the basis for the corrected calculation of the third (VAT) and fourth (GNP) resource. This area ought therefore to be a Community policy priority;

. Common agricultural policy: Work under the Commission's SEM 2000 programme has revealed that some budget implementation problems within the EAGGF, Guarantee Section, exist because it is difficult to have the use of reliable data on the likely movement in spending on the various agricultural markets when the budgetary procedure takes place. Improvement in the relevant statistics ought to make it possible to improve budget forecasts and, hence, implementation;

. Economic and social cohesion: Statistics in this area ought to make it possible to have structured information for an ex ante assessment as to the advisability of structural assistance and for an ex post facto check on the impact thereof. This aspect appears to be covered by the annex to the Council Decision;

. Risk analysis concerning irregularities and fraud: In spite of a host of legal bases requiring national administrations to supply information on irregularities established in the various areas of the budget, there are still gaps in the information at the Commission's disposal. To some extent, statistical analyses might make up for the lack of detailed information and identify the areas to be considered at risk and requiring additional oversight by Community control and investigative bodies.

CONCLUSIONS

To take account of requirements in terms of oversight over Community policies, the Decision on the Community Statistical Programme 1998-2002 and the annex containing the programme itself need to be enlarged upon as follows:

(A) Article 2 of the Decision: own resources ought to be included among the priorities for the programme;

(B) Annex 1 (five-year statistical programme), Title II (agriculture): the programme ought to be enlarged upon by including statistics enabling forecasts to be made of the movement in agricultural spending in the various CAP areas;

(C) Annex 1: a new title ought to be added on statistics enabling risk analyses to be carried out with regard to irregularities in the various areas of the Community budget[1].

Yours sincerely,

(sgd) Diemut R. Theato

21 July 1998

• [1]  The following took part in the vote: Theato, Chairman; Tomlinson, Vice-Chairman; Bardong, Kellett-Bowman, McCartin (for Elles), Müller (for Holm), Tillich (for Rack) and Wemheuer.

OPINION

(Rule 147)

for the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy

on the proposal for a Council Decision on the Community Statistical Programme 1998-2002 (COM(97)0735 - C4-0197/98 - 98/0012(CNS)); (report by Mrs Lulling)

Committee on Fisheries

Draftsman: Mr Teverson

PROCEDURE

At its meeting of 19 March 1998 the Committee on Fisheries appointed Mr Teverson draftsman.

It considered the draft opinion at its meetings of 14 April, 21 April, 25 June and 20 July 1998.

At the last meeting it adopted the following conclusions unanimously.

The following were present for the vote: Fraga Estévez, chairman; Kindermann and Macartney, vicechairmen; Teverson, draftsman; des Places (for Souchet pursuant to Rule 138(2)), d'Aboville, Hardstaff (for Crampton), McMahon (for Adam), Novo, Pérez Royo (for Medina Ortega), Provan, Varela Suanzes-Carpegna.

COMMUNITY STATISTICAL PROGRAMME 1998-2002

The purpose of the proposal for a Council Decision on the Community Statistical Programme 1998-2002 is to 'define the approaches, the main fields and the objectives of the actions envisaged during the period from 1998 to 2002' (Article 1), as set out in the annex to the Council Decision.

In a general document devoted to statistics of relevance to the various Community policies, the bare minimum of space, half a page in an 80-page document, is given over to the section on fisheries. The contents of that section, although scant, merit a number of critical observations.

These are in the areas of accuracy of data, its usefulness in terms of comparability, the speed in which data is made available, and to whom, and the lack of socio-economic data.

Accuracy of Data

First, it is surprising that the Commission report states that the legislation on catch, landings and aquaculture developed within Eurostat's Statistical Programme meets the Commission's current statistical requirements for the management of fishery resources and the management of the market for fishery products.

Your draftsman will not enter into the debate as to whether the legislation in force is adequate or not, but what has become clear on countless occasions (one need only recall the exchanges of views with experts that took place in this committee at the time of the debate on subjects of such vital importance to the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) as MGP IV or the systems for monitoring the fishing effort aimed at ensuring the viability of resources) is that the data available on existing resources, discards and landings at Community ports is far from being reliable and often very difficult to evaluate. The reasons for this are well known and beset the whole culture of the Common Fisheries Policy in that it is frequently not in the interests of participants to declare accurate primary information.

In short, we must refute the Commission's suggestion that these statistics meet current requirements, since they are a very long way from doing so.

Responsibility for, and comparability of statistics

The problem of accuracy is confounded by the question of responsibility for fisheries statistics. Both the DG XIV and Eurostat representatives made quite clear, the statistics on fisheries, as on almost all other areas of Community policy, depend on the good offices of the national statistical services, which means that the supply and reliability of data are determined by the priorities of, and the human and financial resources available in, the Member States. The importance of fisheries varies from Member State to Member State and as the Commission itself has admitted in COM(97)0226[1] there is not, for example, one uniform definition of what an inspection is.

There is also a need to improve the reliability of the data held on each national fleet, especially at a time when calls are being made for a drastic reduction in fleet size so as to match vessel power-ratings and capacity to the fisheries resources available. The Commission has done a huge amount of work in recent years to compile a very significant file on fleets which, however, is long way yet from enabling comparisons of data and situations to be made.

When this committee recently analysed the conclusion of MGF III, we felt that there was still no homogeneity as regards the units used for measuring the capacity of the various fleets, even though it was expected that, by the end of this year, the data would be expressed in standard units. As regards vessel power-ratings, which are fundamental when calculating the fishing effort, the disparities between the Member States as regards measurement criteria, inclusion of auxiliary engines, etc, was enormous. In such circumstances, how can national statistics be compared?

Timeliness of statistics

Your draftsman is keen to ensure that statistics produced are done so as quickly as possible, and at any rate faster than they are currently. This will ensure that appropriate actions can be taken to rectify identifiable problems as soon as possible, when the information is still accurate and relevant.

Availability of statistics

Your draftsman wishes to thank the representatives of DG XIV and Eurostat for explaining the functions and content of and possibilities afforded by the Commission's fisheries statistics available to Parliament.

Their oral explanations allowed us to obtain a clear picture of the possibilities afforded by the available statistics. However, such a picture is not obvious from the Commission document (COM(97)0735), so that your draftsman will base his conclusions on those explanations and the conclusions which can be drawn from Parliament's work in the field of the CFP during this parliamentary term. Suffice it to say that increased availability of community statistics to the general public can only help increase confidence in the Common Fisheries System through greater transparency.

Socio-economic data

Where your draftsman does agree with the assessment in the Commission document is on the importance of socio-economic data, of which there is so little. It is in this area where there is perhaps the greatest need to build up statistical data, for it is not even known for certain how many people currently depend on fishing, how many people are employed and unemployed, what the significance of fishing is in relation to overall economic activity in highly dependent areas, etc. In a nutshell, there is too little accurate and up-to-date information (the most reliable dates from the early 1990s) to be able to define, evaluate and provide budgetary resources for a key sector of Community policy which is at present undergoing radical restructuring aimed at adapting to a new operating environment characterized by scarce resources and a globalized economy.

At present, with a new regional policy about to be framed and the Structural Funds about to be reformed, and in the midst of the debate on the criteria to be included in the reform of CFP beyond the year 2002, it is totally incomprehensible that there should be no detailed, up-to-date and reliable data on the fisheries sector which would help identify existing problems and situations. This is vital in order to be able to take effective action to secure the future of a basic food-producing sector of the economy that accounts for more than one million jobs in the EU.

Therefore, whilst recognizing that analysis of socio-economic data basically depends on national administrations and statistical services, the Commission should improve its body of data by immediately conducting a study of regions where fishing is part of the local socio-economic fabric, such as the one carried out by the Directorate-General for Fisheries in 1992.

That study, which contained data on impact on employment, the state of the fleet, the processing industry, catches, markets and the importance of fishing to the local economy, but which also acknowledged its limitations and the need to interpret the data it contained with caution, can be considered a milestone, as it was the most complete analysis ever made of the sector. It is extremely regrettable that the Commission has not already updated it, improving its reliability and adding to its content in the process.

CONCLUSIONS

The Committee on Fisheries recognizes the efforts made by the statistical services of Eurostat and DG XIV who, operating with scarce human and financial resources, have achieved remarkable progress in coordinating Member States' statistics, in harmonizing definitions and concepts and in promoting cooperation with the statistical services of international organizations such as the FAO and NAFO, which have a key role in gathering and interpreting data on the situation regarding fisheries resources.

This does not mean, however, that despite the improvements made in interpreting fisheries statistics, in particular as regards catches and landings, there is not an enormous amount of work still to be done in order to be able to obtain statistical information that is up-to-date and reliable in major areas of significance to the CFP, such as employment, internal and external markets for fisheries products, the processing industry, the state of biological resources, aquaculture and the impact of fishing on overall economic activity.

The Committee on Fisheries urges Member States' administrations and the Commission to carry out, as a matter of urgency, a detailed analysis of the socio-economic data relating to regions which depend on fishing. Reliable gathering and interpretation of such data, though costly at the start, is essential for being able to take up the challenges facing the sector with insight and realism and, in the medium to long term, will save taxpayers' money and avoid waste and investment that is unnecessary or not in keeping with the aims pursued.

The Commission is urged to give priority, in the section of the Community Statistical Programme 1998 - 2002 that deals with fisheries, to improving the reliability of the data available, increasing its comparability and reducing the time which passes between its collection its being made available.

• [1]  OJ C ...

OPINION

(Rule 147 of the Rules of Procedure)

for the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy

on the proposal for a Council Decision on the Community Statistical Programme 1998-2002(COM(97)0735 - C4-0197/98 - 98/0012(CNS); report by Mrs Lulling)

Committee on Women's Rights

Letter from the committee chairwoman to Mr Karl von Wogau, Chairman of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Brussels, 24 June 1998

Dear Mr von Wogau,

The Committee on Women's Rights considered the above subject at its meetings of 3 June 1998 and 24 June 1998.

At the last meeting it adopted the following conclusions unanimously:[1]

The proposed five-year statistical programme 1998-2002 aims to meet the needs of Community policies as defined by the seventeen Titles identified in the Treaty plus an eighteenth "Title" concerning funding of the Union and enlargement.

The last framework programme in the field of statistical information 1993-97[2] contained the following paragraph (Annex, II, 2 b): "Generally speaking, the Community, having set the objective of developing equal opportunities for men and women, the distinction by sex must be present in all statistics which, by their nature, permit of such a distinction".

The Amsterdam Treaty enshrines equal opportunities for men and women among the objectives of the European Union, as a horizontal action informing all Community policies. Gender-disaggregated data and information are needed to increase awareness of the differences in the situation of women and men, to provide an unbiased basis for policies and to monitor and evaluate actions taken.

Unfortunately, this has not been consistently put into practice: there are Commission documents that still do not break down figures by gender, even in the social and employment field - e.g. the recent Communication on Growth and Employment - although there has been great improvement in the labour force survey statistics.

The lack of data can be linked to the failure to conceptualize and account for female economic activity. Concerning unemployment, for instance, Eurostat figures are based on the ILO definition which implies that the individuals concerned should i) not have worked; ii) be seeking work; and iii) be available for work. The ILO definitions are not useful in reflecting women's activity on or off the labour market, since many categories in which women make up the majority are excluded from official unemployment figures: casual workers, part-timers (even one hour a week means they are not considered unemployed), assisting family workers, or those who are inactive but who would like to work (see draft report by Mrs Marinucci on women's unemployment).

In a letter to our committee in connection with the 1998 budget procedure and mainstreaming, Commissioner Flynn said that "it is envisaged that the next Statistical Programme (1998-2002) will work towards a clearer distinction by gender of all data and on mainstreaming of a gender perspective into statistics".

In the proposed programme there is no notion of mainstreaming gender into statistics and yet this could usefully have been included in the Work Theme V Multi Domain statistics (along with environment, regional and geographical information and science/technology). There is even no reference to mainstreaming in the Title VIII "Social Policy, education, vocational training and youth".

Yet in the 1998 budget, Parliament, through this committee, added an amendment to the remarks under the statistics budget line (B5-604) to the effect that "part of the appropriations will cover development of methods of obtaining gender-disaggregated statistics in all relevant policy areas as a tool for promoting mainstreaming of equal opportunities between women and men".

Even though the Commission mentioned the Beijing Platform in its "Legal References" to Title VIII, it does not seem to make any concrete proposals to implement it. We would refer in particular to Beijing's strategic objectives F.1 (Promote women's economic rights and independence, including access to employment and appropriate working conditions and control over economic resources) and H.3 (Generate and disseminate gender-disaggregated data and information for planning and evaluation).

The Beijing Platform called for a more comprehensive knowledge of work and employment through efforts to measure and better understand the type, extent and distribution of unremunerated work and encourage the dissemination of information on studies and experience in this field, including methods for assessing its value in quantitative terms, for possible reflection in accounts that may be produced separately from, but consistent with, core national accounts.

These issues are extremely important and the idea of a division of the system into a central framework and satellite accounts is worth developing since some phenomena cannot easily be treated within a central framework. Satellite accounts could be more flexible and be used to develop new concepts and definitions. Some Member States, e.g. Finland, have already started interesting experiments on satellite systems, which might be helpful in building a consistent system at European level.

This would be relevant to the Time Use Survey mentioned in title VIII, which would "enable the Commission to present statistics on the full contribution (paid and unpaid work) of men and women to the economy" (p. 34). This survey seems to be the only innovative aspect in the entire document concerning equal opportunities, but regrettably work on this theme will be "delayed due to resource constraints" (p. 37).

Lack of resources, both human and financial, is indeed a problem owing to the fact that gender statistics still are not recognised as a priority area.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that Eurostat plans to publish a report on GNP adapted according to estimations of the informal economy. This could be a useful tool, but it must make reference to women or to the implications of the informal economy for women.

The Committee on Women's Rights asks the responsible committee to include the following amendments in its report:

1)Article 2 of the proposal for a decision: The following paragraph should be added: "The programme shall work towards the goal of generating gender-disaggregated data and of developing a strategy for mainstreaming a gender perspective in statistics as a tool for promoting equal opportunities between women and men."

2) Annex 2: A new theme: "Mainstreaming gender into statistics" should be added.

Yours sincerely,

(sgd) Nel van Dijk

• [1]  The following were present for the vote: van Dijk, Chairwoman; Bennasar Tous, Vice-Chairwoman; Ahlqvist, Eriksson, Gröner, Hautala, Karamanou (for Marinucci), Larive, Lulling, Sornosa Martínez and Waddington
• [2]  OJ L 219, 28.8.93, p. 1