31.7.2007 Official Journal of the European Union L 199/23 REGULATION (EC) No 862/2007 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 11 July 2007 on Community statistics on migration and international protection and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 311/76 on the compilation of statistics on foreign workers (Text with EEA relevance) THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EURO- PEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Commu- nity, and in particular Article 285(1) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (1), Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (?), Whereas: (1) The conclusions of the Justice and Home Affairs Council of 28-29 May 2001 considered, regarding common analy- sis and the improved exchange of statistics on asylum and migration, that there is a need for a comprehensive and coherent framework for future action on improving statistics. (20 In April 2003, the Commission released a Communica- tion to the Council and to the European Parliament, set- ting out an Action Plan for the collection and analysis of Community Statistics in the field of migration. This included a number of important changes designed to improve the completeness and degree of harmonisation of these statistics. Under the Action Plan, the Commission aimed to propose legislation on Community statistics on migration and asylum. (3)  The Thessaloniki European Council of 19 and 20 June 2003 concluded that more effective mechanisms were needed for the collection and analysis of information on migration and asylum in the European Union. (4)  The European Parliament in its resolution of 6 November 2003 (3) on the abovementioned Communication from the Commission noted that legislation was required to (1) OJ C 185, 8.8.2006, p. 31. (?) Opinion of the European Parliament of 14 March 2007 (not yet pub- lished in the Official Journal) and Council Decision of 12 June 2007. () O] C 83 E, 2.4.2004, p. 94. (10) ensure the production of comprehensive statistics neces- sary for the development of fair and effective Community policies on migration. The resolution supports the Com- mission’s plans to propose legislation for migration and asylum statistics. Enlargement of the European Union has brought an added geographical and political dimension to the scale of the phenomena associated with migration. It has also brought a further impetus to the demand for accurate, timely and harmonised statistical information. There is also an increasing need for statistical information regarding the profession, education, qualifications and type of activity of migrants. Harmonised and comparable Community statistics on migration and asylum are essential for the development and monitoring of Community legislation and policies relating to immigration and asylum, and to the free move- ment of persons. There is a need to reinforce the exchange of statistical information on asylum and migration and to improve the quality of Community statistical collections and outputs which have, hitherto, taken place on the basis of a series of ‘gentlemen’s agreements’. It is essential that information be available, throughout the European Union, for the purposes of monitoring the development and implementation of Community legisla- tion and policy. In the main, current practice does not suf- ficiently ensure, in a uniform manner, regular, timely and rapid delivery and dissemination of harmonised data. This Regulation does not cover estimates of the number of persons illegally resident in the Member States. Mem- ber States should not provide such estimates or data on such persons to the Commission (Eurostat), although they may be included in population stocks due to surveys. Wherever possible, the definitions used for the purposes of this Regulation are taken from the United Nations Rec- ommendations on Statistics of International Migration, the United Nations Recommendations for the Censuses of Population and Housing in the ECE Region or EC legisla- tion, and should be updated following the relevant procedures.