22. 2. 97 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 52/1 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 322/97 of 17 February 1997 on Community Statistics THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 213 thereof, Having regard to the draft Regulation submitted by the Commission ('), Having regard to the opinion of the European Par- liament (3), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (°), Having regard to the opinion of the European Monetary Institute (*), (1) Whereas, for the performance of the various tasks entrusted to it by the provisions of the Treaty in order to ensure the proper functioning and develop- ment of the common market, the Commission needs to collect any relevant information; (2) Whereas, in particular, for the formulation, applica- tion, monitoring and assessment of the policies laid down in the Treaty, the Community must be able to base its decisions on statistics which are up-to-date, reliable, pertinent and comparable between the Member States; (3) Whereas, to ensure the feasibility, coherence and comparability of Community statistics, collaboration and coordination must be reinforced between those authorities which contribute to the production of such information at both national and Community level; whereas the provisions of this Regulation contribute to the development of a Community statistical system; () OJ No C 106, 14. 4. 1994, p. 22. % O] No C 109, 1. 5. 1995, p. 321. () O] No C 195, 18. 7. 1994, p. 1. (*) Opinion delivered on 7 February 1995. {4) Whereas the said authorities must show the greatest impartiality and professionalism in the production of statistics, respecting the same principles of behaviour and professional ethics; (5) Whereas on 14 April 1994 the UN Statistical Commission adopted the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics; (6) Whereas, in order to prepare and carry out priority Community statistical actions, statistical programmes must be implemented, taking into account available resources both at national and Community level; (7) Whereas the establishment of the Community statistical programme to be adopted by the Council and the annual work programmes to be adopted by the Commission require particularly close collabora- tion within the Statistical Programme Committee, established by Decision 89/382/EEC, Euratom (°); (8) Whereas this Regulation aims to establish a legisla- tive framework for the production of Community statistics; whereas provision should be made for plan- ning the production of the Community statistics which will be specified by individual statistical actions; (9) Whereas this Regulation defines the responsibility of the national authorities and the Community au- thority for the production of Community statistics in compliance with the principle of subsidiarity as defined in Article 3b of the Treaty; (10) Whereas, in preparing statistical programmes, the Committees instituted by the Council in their given statistical fields must carry out the functions with which they have been entrusted; () OJ No L 181, 28. 6. 1989, p. 47.