3.7.2003 Official Journal of the European Union L 165/1 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) REGULATION (EC) No 1177/2003 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 16 June 2003 concerning Community statistics on income and living conditions (EU-SILC) (Text with EEA relevance) THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Com- munity, and in particular Article 285(1) thereof, Having regard to the proposals from the Commission (!), Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (), Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (), Whereas: (1) In order to carry out the tasks assigned to it, particularly after the Lisbon, Nice, Stockholm and Laeken European Council meetings held in March 2000, December 2000, March 2001 and December 2001 respectively, the Commission should be kept informed of income distri- bution and of the level and composition of poverty and social exclusion in the Member States. (2)  The new open method of coordination in the field of social inclusion as well as the structural indicators to be produced for the annual synthesis report increase the need for comparable and timely cross-sectional and longitudinal data on income distribution and on the level and composition of poverty and social exclusion for establishing reliable and relevant comparisons between the Member States. (3)  Decision No 50/2002/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 December 2001 establishing a programme of Community action to encourage coopera- tion between Member States to combat social exclu- sion () has established, under Action 1.2 of Strand 1 concerning the ‘analysis of social exclusion’, the neces- sary conditions in relation to the funding of measures concerning the collection and dissemination of compar- able statistics and in particular supporting the improve- ment of surveys and analysis of poverty and social exclu- sion. () O] C 103 E, 30.4.2002, p. 198, and amended proposal of 15 November 2002. () O] C 149, 21.6.2002, p. 24. (*) Opinion of the European Parliament of 14 May 2002 (not yet published in the Official Journal), Council Common Position of 6 March 2003 (O] C 107 E, 6.5.2003, p. 26) and Decision of the European Parliament of 13 May 2003 (not yet published in the Offi- cial Journal). () OJ L 10, 12.1.2002, p. 1. (4) (10) The best method of assessing the situation as regards income, poverty and social exclusion is to compile Community statistics using harmonised methods and definitions. Some Member States may require additional time to adapt their systems to these harmonised methods and definitions. To reflect changes taking place in the distribution of income and in the level and composition of poverty and social exclusion, the statistics need to be updated annually. To investigate major issues of social concern, especially new issues requiring specific research, the Commission needs cross-sectional and longitudinal micro-data at household and personal level. Priority should be given to the production of timely and comparable annual cross-sectional data on income, poverty and social exclusion. Flexibility in terms of data sources, in particular the use of existing national data sources, whether they be surveys or registers, and national sample designs should be encouraged and the integration of the new source(s) into established national statistical systems should be promoted. Commission Regulation (EC) No 831/2002 of 17 May 2002 implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 322/97 on Community statistics, concerning access to confiden- tial data for scientific purposes () has established, for the purpose of enabling statistical conclusions to be drawn for scientific purposes, the conditions pursuant to which access to confidential data transmitted to the Commu- nity authority may be granted. The production of specific Community statistics is governed by the rules set out in Council Regulation (EC) No 322/97 of 17 February 1997 on Community Statis- tics (%). () OJ L 133, 18.5.2002, p. 7. () OJL52,22.2.1997, p. 1.