REPORT on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on a Programme for the Modernisation of European Enterprise and Trade Statistics (MEETS)

9.6.2008 - (COM(2007)0433 – C6‑0234/2007 – 2007/0156(COD)) - ***I

Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
Rapporteur: Christoph Konrad

DRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on a Programme for the Modernisation of European Enterprise and Trade Statistics (MEETS)

(COM(2007)0433 – C6‑0234/2007 – 2007/0156(COD))

(Codecision procedure: first reading)

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2007)0433),

–   having regard to Article 251(2) and Article 285 of the EC Treaty, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C6‑0234/2007),

–   having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and sound financial management[1],

–   having regard to Rule 51 of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the report of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and the opinion of the Committee on Budgets (A6‑0240/2008),

1.  Approves the Commission proposal as amended;

2.  Considers that the financial framework indicated in the legislative proposal must be compatible with the ceiling of subheading 1a of the 2007-2013 multiannual financial framework as revised by Decision 2008/371/EC and points out that the annual amount will be decided as part of the annual budgetary procedure in accordance with point 37 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006;

3.  Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it intends to amend the proposal substantially or replace it with another text;

4.  Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and the Commission.

Amendment  1 Proposal for a decision Recital 1
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
(1) The Commission has made a commitment in its Communication on Better Regulation for Growth and Jobs in the European Union to ensure a better policy on regulation, to cut unnecessary red-tape and over-regulation.	(1) The Commission has made a commitment in its communications of 16 March 2005 on Better Regulation for Growth and Jobs in the European Union and of 24 January 2007 on an Action Programme for Reducing Administrative Burdens in the European Union to ensure a better policy on regulation and to cut unnecessary red tape and over-regulation.
Amendment  2 Proposal for a decision Recital 2 a (new)
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
	(2a) During the last fifteen years a large number of statistical regulations aiming to describe activities of enterprises and containing data provision obligations on enterprises have emerged to meet the statistical information needs of the Community. As, inter alia, the scope, concepts and definitions should be consistent among those statistical regulations, an overhaul is needed. Simplification and priority-setting should be a feature of all those regulations to the extent possible.
Amendment  3 Proposal for a decision Recital 3
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
(3) Business and trade statistics are faced with a major challenge in the coming years. To underpin Community policy initiatives, they have to be capable of reflecting phenomena in the changing Community economy such as globalisation, emerging trends in entrepreneurship, the information society, innovation, shifting trade patterns and competitiveness in the light of the renewed Lisbon strategy.	(3) Business and trade statistics are faced with a major challenge in the coming years. To underpin Community policy initiatives, they have to be capable of reflecting phenomena in the changing Community economy such as globalisation, emerging trends in entrepreneurship, the information society, trade in services, innovation, shifting trade patterns and competitiveness in the light of the renewed Lisbon strategy.
Amendment  4 Proposal for a decision Recital 5 a (new)
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
	(5a) Business and trade statistics comprise several areas to which improvements should be made such as, inter alia, structural business statistics, short-term statistics, Prodcom statistics, ICT statistics and Intrastat statistics.
Amendment  5 Proposal for a decision Recital 7 a (new)
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
	(7a) National Statistical Institutes should be closely involved in the modernisation of the statistical production system in order to avoid the duplication of costs and red tape.
Amendment  6 Proposal for a decision Recital 7 b (new)
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
	(7b) The simplification of the Intrastat system is part of the efforts to reduce statistical requirements and minimise the burden on business. The recent decision to reduce the coverage ratio will contribute to this goal in the short term. In the longer term, other simplification options will be investigated, including the single-flow system. The possible implementation of those simplification options in the long term depends on feasibility studies and other actions to be carried out under this Decision. However considerations regarding the quality of statistics as well as the significant costs involved in the transition should be taken into account.
Amendment  7 Proposal for a decision Article 1 – paragraph 2
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
2. The MEETS Programme shall start on 1 July 2008 and end on 31 December 2013.	2. The MEETS Programme shall start on 1 January 2009 and shall end on 31 December 2013.
Amendment  8 Proposal for a decision Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point a
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
(a) to develop target sets of indicators and to review priorities; (objective 1)	(a) to review priorities and to develop target sets of indicators for new areas; (objective 1)
Amendment  9 Proposal for a decision Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point c
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
(c) to support the implementation of a more efficient way of collecting data; (objective 3)	(c) to support the implementation of a more efficient way of producing business and trade statistics; (objective 3)
Amendment  10 Proposal for a decision Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point d
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
(d) to modernise and simplify statistics on trade in goods between Member States (hereinafter referred to as Intrastat) (objective 4).	(d) to modernise the data collection system on trade in goods between Member States (hereinafter referred to as Intrastat); (objective 4).
Amendment  11 Proposal for a decision Article 3 – point a
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
(a) develop target sets of indicators and review priorities (objective 1)	(a) review priorities and to develop target sets of indicators for new areas (objective 1)
– Action 1.1: Development of new areas;	– Action 1.1: Identification of areas of lesser importance;
– Action 1.2: Identification of areas that are of lesser importance;	– Action 1.2: Development of new areas;
Amendment  12 Proposal for a decision Article 3 – point c – introductory part
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
(c) support the implementation of a more efficient way of collecting data (objective 3):	(c) support the implementation of a more efficient way of producing business and trade statistics (objective 3):
Amendment  13 Proposal for a decision Article 3 – point d – introductory part
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
(d) modernise and simplify the data collection system for Intrastat (objective 4):	(d) modernise the data collection system for Intrastat (objective 4):
Amendment  14 Proposal for a decision Article 4
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
An annual work programme, including the priorities for the actions under each objective and the budgetary allocations under this Decision, shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 5(2).	An annual work programme, with the priorities for the actions under each objective and the budgetary allocations under this Decision, shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 5(2).
Amendment  15 Proposal for a decision Article 6 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
2. By 31 December 2011 at the latest, the Commission shall submit to the European Parliament and the Council an interim report on the implementation of the MEETS Programme.	2. By 31 December 2010 at the latest, and thereafter on an annual basis until 2013, the Commission shall submit to the European Parliament and the Council a report on the implementation of the MEETS Programme.
Amendment  16 Proposal for a decision Annex – Objective 1 – title
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Objective 1: The development of target sets of indicators and a review of priorities	Objective 1: The reviewing of priorities and the development of target sets of indicators for new areas
Amendment  17 Proposal for a decision Annex – Objective 1 – Action 1.1
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Action 1.1: Development of new areas	Action 1.1: Identification of areas of lesser importance
	– In a changing world, statistical needs will be reviewed periodically as not only new statistical needs emerge, but other needs become less important and even obsolete. Therefore, regular reviews of priorities will be conducted in close cooperation with Member States in order to identify areas and characteristics which have lost priority and consequently can be deleted from the legal requirements. Those reviews, aiming to simplify statistical requirements and to reduce the response burden, may require external studies to be launched by the Commission.
– In a changing economic environment it is important to define priority areas for statistics like globalisation and entrepreneurship and to agree on Community level on a target set of indicators for each of the priority areas. These indicators need to be harmonised with international statistics to the extent possible.	– In a changing economic environment it is important to define priority areas for statistics like trade in services, globalisation and entrepreneurship and to agree on Community level on a target set of indicators for each of the priority areas. These indicators need to be harmonised with international statistics to the extent possible.
– The statistics have to be compiled in an efficient way and need to be comparable. Therefore work has to be carried out within the European Statistical System to achieve harmonised definitions of newly identified characteristics and indicators.	– The statistics have to be compiled in an efficient way and need to be comparable. For this reason European statistics must be modernised in strict accordance with the principle of coherence and comparability of data for the periods concerned. Therefore work has to be carried out within the European Statistical System to achieve harmonised definitions of newly identified characteristics and indicators.
– After having agreed on target sets of indicators and harmonised definitions for them, Member States need to develop and test their ways of collecting the statistics in the priority areas in a harmonised manner.
– The new areas will be developed by means of studies, by organising seminars and by financially supporting projects to develop methods and ways to collect new statistics.

Justification

If the nomenclature is changed it is no longer possible to follow the dynamic of the data for previous periods.

Amendment  18 Proposal for a decision Annex – Objective 1 – Action 1.2
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Action 1.2: Identify the areas of lesser importance	Action 1.2: Development of new areas
– In a changing world not only new statistical needs emerge, but other needs will become obsolete. Therefore, regular reviews of priorities will be conducted in order to identify areas and characteristics which have become less important and consequently can be deleted from the legal requirements. The reviews require external studies to be launched by the Commission.	– In a changing economic environment it is important to define, in close cooperation with Member States, priority areas for statistics like globalisation and entrepreneurship and to agree at a Community level on a target set of indicators for each of the priority areas. Those indicators need to be harmonised with international statistics to the extent possible.
– The collection of statistical indicators linked to ongoing policy initiatives will be ensured.	– Statistics must be compiled in an efficient way and must be comparable. Therefore work has to be carried out within the European Statistical System to agree on harmonised definitions of newly identified characteristics and indicators.
	– After having agreed on target sets of indicators and their harmonised definitions, further work is needed in order to develop and test ways of producing statistics in the priority areas.
	– In order to contribute to the development of new areas and the target sets of indicators, the Commission will launch studies, organise seminars and provide financial support to develop methods and ways to collect new statistics.
Amendment  19 Proposal for a decision Annex – Objective 2 – Action 2.1 – indent 1
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
–European statistics are compiled according to European legislation, which has developed over several years. An overhaul of the consistency between the legal acts is needed in order to ensure that all relevant pieces are consistent. Therefore it is planned to review the existing legal acts to provide a harmonised legal framework for the different areas of business and trade statistics. This will require external studies to be launched by the Commission.	– European statistics are compiled according to Community legislation, which has developed over several years. An overhaul of the consistency between the legal acts is needed in order to ensure that all relevant pieces are consistent. Therefore external studies could be launched by the Commission aiming to review the existing legal acts in order to provide a harmonised legal framework for the different areas of business and trade statistics.
Amendment  20 Proposal for a decision Annex – Objective 2 – Action 2.3
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
– To highlight new and emerging needs of Community statistics, specific Community surveys will be conducted on an ad-hoc basis. Such surveys will be set up by means of external studies to be launched by the Commission or financial support to Member States.	– To highlight new and emerging needs of Community statistics, specific Community surveys could be conducted on an ad-hoc basis. Such surveys will be set up by means of external studies to be launched by the Commission or financial support to Member States.
– To exploit the potential savings of Community sampling schemes in regular statistics, studies will be made to identify areas where Community aggregates would be sufficient and to develop new methods for data collection in these areas. Financial support will also be given to Member States to adjust their data collection systems. There is not a standard type of Community sampling schemes; they have to be specific to the circumstances.	– To exploit the potential savings of Community sampling schemes in regular statistics, studies will be made to identify areas where Community aggregates would be sufficient and to develop new methods for data collection in these areas. Financial support will also be given to Member States to adjust their data collection systems. However, there is not a standard type of Community sampling schemes and therefore they have to be specific to the circumstances.
– National surveys will be kept in statistical areas that feed benchmarking exercises.
Amendment  21 Proposal for a decision Annex – Objective 3 – title
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Objective 3: The implementation of a more efficient way of collecting data	Objective 3: The implementation of a more efficient way of producing business and trade statistics
Amendment  22 Proposal for a decision Annex – Objective 3 – Action 3.1 – indent 4
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
– The need of reducing the burden for businesses and in particular for SMEs should not endanger the collection of relevant information for the monitoring of policy initiatives.	deleted
Amendment  23 Proposal for a decision Annex – Objective 4 – title
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
Objective 4: The modernisation and simplification of Intrastat	Objective 4: The modernisation of data collection of Intrastat
Amendment  24 Proposal for a decision Annex – Objective 4 – Action 4.1 – indent 1
Text proposed by the Commission	Amendment
– Measures shall provide financial support to actions in Member States aiming at developing tools and methods for maintaining and improving data quality within a simplified collection system.	– Measures will provide financial support to actions in Member States aiming at developing tools and methods for improving data quality and the data collection system.

• [1]  OJ C 139, 14.6.2006, p. 1. Agreement as last amended by Decision 2008/371/EC (JO L 128, 16.5.2008, p. 8).

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Political background and benefits of the MEETS programme

Your rapporteur heartily welcomes the Commission proposal on a Programme for the Modernisation of European Enterprise and Trade Statistics (MEETS). It represents an appropriate response to the challenges of the coming years in core areas of EU economic statistics and is a useful complement to the 2005 Agenda for better regulation.

Efficient EU regulation simplifies life for undertakings, individuals and authorities by harmonising 27 legal systems. Efficient and sustainable gathering of statistical data is of crucial importance to the European economy. To enable undertakings – particularly SMEs – to invest their time in production and innovation without too many bureaucratic requirements, the EU intends to achieve a 25% reduction in administrative burdens for businesses by 2012. To that end, in January 2007 the Commission submitted an ambitious ‘Action Programme for Reducing Administrative Burdens in the European Union’, on the basis of which 500 million EUR were already saved during 2007. In addition, since October 2005, 300 legal acts have been deleted from the body of Community legislation.

The Commission has taken a variety of initiatives towards reducing bureaucracy. In late 2006 it appointed the Impact Assessment Board, made up of high-level Commission officials and, where appropriate, external experts, which examines the methodology and quality of legislative proposals before they are submitted by the Commission. This type of ex-ante impact assessment is particularly important in the field of statistical planning. Your rapporteur therefore welcomes the fact that it has been specifically taken into account in the MEETS programme. The High level group of independent stakeholders on administrative burdens, set up in late 2007 and chaired by Edmund Stoiber, also has an important contribution to make in reducing bureaucracy, particularly for businesses.

Integrated world markets are constantly creating new needs for data. New areas arise, while information gathered in the past becomes wholly or partly obsolete. Businesses react to international competition by structural changes which have to be appropriately reflected in business statistics. Data has to be collected on new business trends, as well as on changing trade structures and the impact of the modern information and knowledge society on market participants. The emergence and/or growth of sectors, such as the service sector, must also be reflected in the statistics. The same applies to research and innovation, an area which is increasingly important to the economy, where better and more transparent data is needed on cooperation between businesses and research bodies. This will make it possible to promote the enhanced cooperation between business and research which the EU seeks. In addition to the ever closer networking of the European economy, the European currency union and the European customs system also generate new requirements for the modernisation of the Community’s statistical system. This is precisely where the various measures of the MEETS programme come into play.

EU legislation has to meet high quality requirements. However, at the same time new statistical requirements should not create additional burdens for businesses. To that end, MEETS seeks to create new types of statistical indicators. Existing business statistics will be more effectively used and networked. Your rapporteur also favours making it easier for official statistics to be used for a wider range of statistical purposes, so that where possible businesses do not have to supply information to several centres.

Business and trade statistics, alongside many other bureaucratic burdens, provide an important basis for better regulation in the EU. The programmes which preceded MEETS, Edicom I and II, processed trade statistics. In the past, trade and business statistics were compiled using different methods and from different sources. With the more comprehensive approach of the new MEETS programme, an effort is now being made for the first time to create a new structure comprising statistics from both sources in order to achieve a rationalised and co-ordinated approach to EU statistics. This global approach is a very positive development. As well as reducing the workload for businesses, it simplifies statistical work and enables up-to-date priorities to be set in this area.

Four main objectives of the MEETS programme

On the basis of the above-mentioned ex ante assessment, the MEETS programme is structured in an efficient and effective way, so as to permit the optimum use of its budget funding of (up to) EUR 42.5 million for 2008-2012. In the annex to the programme, the Commission has set out a detailed plan for the various measures to achieve the programme’s four main objectives.

First of all, existing statistical indicators and methods are to be checked and where necessary dropped or overhauled. In another measure, new areas of data collection made necessary by changes in economic integration are to be studied. The varying statistical systems and practices in the new Member States of Central and Eastern Europe also make a joint review of the system necessary. All stakeholders should be involved in this evaluation, with a view to making fundamental changes throughout the EU as soon as possible.

Secondly, the concepts and methods of the Member States’ business statistics systems are to be harmonised and integrated, for example by the interconnection of business registers and their sources. Multinational groups are to be more effectively incorporated into the commercial register.

Thirdly, data collection and processing are to be integrated into a single system. This also involves the more intensive use of existing data. New regulation is needed on access to official collections. The introduction of standard and/or generalised evaluation procedures will alleviate the burden of bureaucratic registration requirements on SMEs in particular. SMEs will, however, continue to appear in economic statistics in the form of estimated values.

Fourthly, the proposal seeks to simplify trade statistics in the EU in the Intrastat system by setting new threshold values and stepping up electronic networking. This will make it possible to exempt more firms from reporting requirements on the basis of certain criteria, without impairing the value of the statistics. The quantity of data could also be significantly reduced by going over to the ‘single flow’ system, whereby data on exports and imports are collected and registered only in one direction, i.e. either by the exporter or by the importer.

These priorities of the MEETS programme are based on the main challenges to a modern European statistical system. Your rapporteur stresses the importance of ensuring, in the course of harmonisation, that this is done on the basis of the lowest common denominator and does not involve new burdens for undertakings. Otherwise there is a risk that innovations will be counterproductive and will undermine the competitiveness of European business. Your rapporteur therefore welcomes the fact that, in the run-up to submitting the MEETS programme, the Commission has carried out wide-ranging consultations at a technical level and with the heads of the statistical offices of the Member States, which were thus from the outset directly involved in the elaboration of the programme. In future, too, an intensive exchange promoted by the MEETS programme with all stakeholders and experts in the form of seminars, workshops etc. will be indispensable. The Commission can and should play an enabling role with MEETS in this connection.

Important role for national statistical offices

It makes sense for the dismantling of bureaucracy to be organised at EU level. In view of the differing systems used by the various statistical services, an uncoordinated modernisation of statistics by the individual Member States would lead to higher costs and duplication of data collection. Thanks to the EU’s MEETS programme, however, the collection and use of data for business and trade statistical purposes can be coordinated at an early stage. Through exchange programmes, studies and workshops with the Member States the best solutions for all can be identified and put into practice. The measures under this EU programme will create incentives to invest in developing new statistical applications, particularly in the restructuring of business and trade statistics, thus creating efficiency gains for all concerned.

The specific actions of the programme are defined by the Member States and the Commission in the form of annual work programmes through the comitology procedure. The Commission should, in your rapporteur’s view, be given the task of monitoring the harmonisation of statistics in the Member States and should report annually to the European Parliament on its results.

However, in order to be a success, bureaucracy reduction cannot come just from EU level. The Action Programme for Reducing Administrative Burdens in the European Union recommends that the Member States also set themselves ambitious targets in the reduction of national bureaucracy. So far, 12 Member States have responded to this call. In the interest of successfully reducing bureaucracy, all EU governments should cooperate proactively with the EU in this area. Often, however, they add further national rules on top of those from the EU.

No more time should be lost in dismantling bureaucracy. Accordingly, your rapporteur calls for the projects of the MEETS programme to be rapidly implemented so that, on the basis of the insights gained from those projects, practical solutions to harmonising and restructuring in the statistical field can be achieved in the near future. The proposed timetable for MEETS should, therefore, be speeded up wherever possible. With that in mind, your rapporteur proposes that the programme should enter into force as soon as possible following adoption of the decision by the European Parliament and the Council.

OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON BUDGETS (8.4.2008)

for the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on a Programme for the Modernisation of European Enterprise and Trade Statistics (MEETS)
(COM(2007)0433 – C6‑0234/2007 – 2007/0156(COD))

Draftswoman: Margarita Starkevičiūtė

SHORT JUSTIFICATION

Introduction

The Commission proposal for a programme on Modernisation of European Enterprise and Trade Statistics (MEETS) aims to finance the development of enterprise and trade statistics for a period of 6 years (2008-2013).

The Programme objective is to adapt statistics to major changes in economy, due to the globalisation, and to the stronger European integration. These two changes justify the need for new types of indicators providing information by using new sources of information.

The Programme aims 4 specific objectives:

· identify new areas via the definition of target sets of indicators to be agreed in order to produce comparable data

· enforce the integration of concepts and methods in business statistics

· integrate data collection and treatment

· continue to simplify the Intrastat system (thresholds, ICT improvements, nomenclatures etc.).

Budgetary Implication

The financial envelope foreseen is of EUR 42 500 000 for the 6 years.

Total reference amount

		2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013 and later	Total
Commitment Appropriations	a+c	5,000	6,500	11,500	9,000	6,500	4,000	42,500
Payment Appropriations	b+c	0,908	7,5695	9,175	10,1625	7,6625	7,0225	42,500

Draftswoman's position

The Draftswoman supports the Programme presented by the Commission. She believes that it is important to define priority areas and indicators in order to develop statistics and harmonise definitions. This will be extremely useful for the EU enterprises, as data will be comparable and more usable.

She does not wish to amend the Commission proposal, but she nevertheless raises some points that should be taken into account for a larger debate.

1.  One of the concerns of the draftswoman is the link between the availability of data about enterprises and trade and the innovation policy, which is one of the most relevant points of the Lisbon Strategy. A clear definition of innovation and data related to it would be extremely useful to define the financing of specific budget lines in the EU budget and better orient the EU support to innovative enterprises. Only clear and comparable indicators can support the clear definition of which expenditure categories are eligible for getting support for innovation.

2.  The Draftswoman is concerned that although one of the main goals set for the Programme is to continue reducing the statistical burden on enterprises the Commission has not consulted enterprises, but just proceeded to an internal consultation within its working groups and national statistical offices. Enterprises should have been consulted, being the major providers of data and the ones which should benefit most from the MEETS programme.

3.  The Draftswoman calls for clear and comparable data not only in the field of internal trade, but also external trade. In this respect she believes that this information could be a useful instrument to identify the expenses categories to be financed under heading 4 of the EU budget.

4.  The draftswoman points out that the lack of coordination in setting the objectives of different statistical programmes does not allow a more efficient use of the funds allocated for the statistical programmes in the EU budget.

Finally the Draftswoman presents an amendment to the legislative resolution of the Parliament, in order to stress that the financial envelope indicated in the MEETS Programme legislative proposal must be compatible with the ceiling of the correspondent heading of the new multiannual financial framework (MFF) - in this case heading 1A - and that the annual amount for the Programme must be decided within the annual budgetary procedure in accordance with the provisions of point 37 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006.

AMENDMENTS

The Committee on Budgets calls on the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following amendments in its report:

Amendment  1 Draft legislative resolution Paragraph 1 a (new)
Draft legislative resolution	Amendment
	1a. Considers that the financial envelope indicated in the Commission proposal must be compatible with the ceiling of subheading 1a of the 2007-2013 multiannual financial framework (MFF) as revised by Decision 2008/29/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2007 amending the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 on budgetary discipline and sound financial management as regards the multiannual financial framework1, and points out that the annual amount will be decided as part of the annual budgetary procedure in accordance with point 37 of the Agreement of 17 May 2006;
	__________ 1 OJ L 6, 10.1.2008, p. 7.

PROCEDURE

Title	Programme for the Modernisation of European Enterprise and Trade Statistics (MEETS)
References	COM(2007)0433 – C6-0234/2007 – 2007/0156(COD)
Committee responsible	ECON
Opinion by        Date announced in plenary	BUDG 3.9.2007
Drafts(wo)man        Date appointed	Margarita Starkevičiūtė 24.10.2007
Discussed in committee	2.4.2008		8.4.2008
Date adopted	8.4.2008
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	26 0 0
Members present for the final vote	Laima Liucija Andrikienė, Richard James Ashworth, Reimer Böge, Paulo Casaca, Brigitte Douay, Szabolcs Fazakas, Salvador Garriga Polledo, Ingeborg Gräßle, Louis Grech, Catherine Guy-Quint, Jutta Haug, Anne E. Jensen, Wiesław Stefan Kuc, Janusz Lewandowski, Vladimír Maňka, Cătălin-Ioan Nechifor, Margaritis Schinas, Esko Seppänen, Nina Škottová, Theodor Dumitru Stolojan, László Surján, Helga Trüpel, Kyösti Virrankoski, Ralf Walter
Substitute(s) present for the final vote	Richard Corbett, Libor Rouček

PROCEDURE

Title	Programme for the Modernisation of European Enterprise and Trade Statistics (MEETS)
References	COM(2007)0433 – C6-0234/2007 – 2007/0156(COD)
Date submitted to Parliament	19.7.2007
Committee responsible        Date announced in plenary	ECON 3.9.2007
Committee(s) asked for opinion(s)        Date announced in plenary	INTA 3.9.2007		BUDG 3.9.2007		ITRE 3.9.2007
Not delivering opinions        Date of decision	INTA 12.9.2007		ITRE 9.10.2007
Rapporteur(s)        Date appointed	Christoph Konrad 4.9.2007
Discussed in committee	22.1.2008		25.3.2008		5.5.2008
Date adopted	3.6.2008
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	34 0 0
Members present for the final vote	Mariela Velichkova Baeva, Zsolt László Becsey, Pervenche Berès, Udo Bullmann, Manuel António dos Santos, José Manuel García-Margallo y Marfil, Jean-Paul Gauzès, Donata Gottardi, Dariusz Maciej Grabowski, Benoît Hamon, Karsten Friedrich Hoppenstedt, Othmar Karas, Wolf Klinz, Guntars Krasts, Kurt Joachim Lauk, Andrea Losco, Astrid Lulling, Florencio Luque Aguilar, John Purvis, Alexander Radwan, Bernhard Rapkay, Dariusz Rosati, Eoin Ryan, Antolín Sánchez Presedo, Olle Schmidt, Peter Skinner, Margarita Starkevičiūtė, Ivo Strejček, Ieke van den Burg
Substitute(s) present for the final vote	Mia De Vits, Harald Ettl, Ján Hudacký, Janusz Lewandowski, Theodor Dumitru Stolojan