15.3.2008 Official Journal of the European Union L 73/13 DECISIONS ADOPTED JOINTLY BY THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL DECISION No 234/2008/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE CONCIL of 11 March 2008 establishing the European Statistical Advisory Committee and repealing Council Decision 91/116/EEC (Text with EEA relevance) THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 285 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (1), After consulting the Committee of the Regions, Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (), Whereas: (1) The consultation of users and producers of statistical information as well as respondents to requests for such information is essential for the preparation and devel- opment of the Community’s statistical information policy. (2)  The European Advisory Committee on Statistical Infor- mation in the Economic and Social Spheres set up by Council Decision 91/116/EEC (}) currently assists the Council and the Commission in the coordination of the objectives of the Community’s statistical information policy, taking into account user requirements and the costs borne by information providers and producers. () O] C 97, 28.4.2007, p. 1. (%) Opinion of the European Parliament of 24 October 2007 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and Council Decision of 14 February 2008. () O] L 59, 6.3.1991, p. 21. Decision as amended by Decision 97/255[EC (O] L 102, 19.4.1997, p. 32). (3)  The European Advisory Committee on Statistical Infor- mation in the Economic and Social Spheres has been of use but changes that have taken place in the Community, in particular its enlargement to 27 Member States, require that a number of modifications be made to the role, mandate, composition and procedures of that Committee. In the interests of clarity, it is appropriate to replace that Committee by a new European Statistical Advisory Committee (the Committee). (4)  The Committee should contribute to a close cooperation in the programme-planning process in order to improve the governance of the European Statistical System and enhance the quality of Community statistics. To this effect, close collaboration should be maintained with the Statistical Programme Committee established by Council Decision 89/382/EEC, Euratom (%) and with the Committee on Monetary, Financial and Balance of Payments Statistics established by Council Decision 91/115/EEC (). (5 A balance should be achieved between the need to reduce membership in order to enable the Committee to work efficiently in an enlarged Community on the one hand, and the need to allow representation of all stakeholders in Community statistics, as requested in the Council conclusions of 8 November 2005, on the other. (6)  In order to meet the objectives of better assessing and balancing the benefits and costs of Community statistical requirements and rebalancing and reducing the burden of Community  statistical ~legislation, so facilitating compliance with increasing demand, the Committee should play a stronger role in preparing and im- plementing the Community statistical programme. (7)  The Committee should serve as a channel for advice from users, respondents and producers of statistical infor- mation on the objectives of the Community’s statistical information policy. (4 O] L 181, 28.6.1989, p. 47. () O] L 59, 6.3.1991, p. 19. Decision as replaced by Decision 2006/856/EC (O] L 332, 30.11.2006, p. 21).