18.12.98 Official Journal of the European Communities L 344/81 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 2701/98 of 17 December 1998 concerning the series of data to be produced for structural business statistics (Text with EEA relevance) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 58/97 of 20 December 1996 (1) concerning structural business statistics, and in particular Article 12(ii), (v), and (vii) thereof, Whereas Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 58/97 established a common framework for the production of Community statistics on the structure, activity, competitiveness and performance of businesses in the Community; Whereas it is necessary to specify the frequency for the compilation of the multi-yearly structural business statistics; whereas it is necessary to specify the first reference year for the compilation of the preliminary results for structural business statistics; whereas it is necessary to specify the breakdown of the results for the production of structural business statistics; Whereas the envisaged measures are in accordance with the opinion of the Statistical Programme Committee, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 The frequency for the compilation of multi-yearly characteristics, the breakdowns of results and the first reference year for the compilation of the preliminary results referred to in Articles 4, 8 and 9 of Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 58/97 are specified in the series of data in the Annex to this Regulation. Article 2 1.  Member States shall produce these series for the data concerning the 1999 reference year and subsequent years. 2. Member States shall also produce these series for data concerning the 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1998 reference years where this corresponds to existing national practices. Article 3 This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities. (') OJ L 14, 17.1.1997, p. 1.