No L 327/34 Official Journal of the European Communities 18. 12. 96 (Acts whose publicarion is not obligatory) COUNCIL COUNCIL DECISION of 9 December 1996 on inter-administration telematic networks for statistics relating to the trading of goods between Member States (Edicom) (96/715/EC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular the third paragraph of Article 129d thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ('), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (%), Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (%), Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 189¢ of the Treaty (%), Whereas the smooth functioning of the internal market depends on the elimination of physical frontiers between Member States; whereas a satisfactory level of information on the trading of goods between Member States must therefore be ensured by means other than those involving checks, even indirect ones, at internal frontiers; Whereas it will consequently be necessary to collect directly from consignors and consignees the data neces- sary to compile statistics relating to the trading of goods between Member States, using methods and techniques which will ensure that they are exhaustive, reliable and up-to-date, without giving rise for the parties concerned, in particular for small and medium-sized businesses, to a () OJ No C 343, 15. 11. 1996, p. 9. (3 OJ No C 295, 7. 10. 1996, p. 46. (*) Opinion delivered on 18 September 1996 (not yet published in the Official Journal). (*) Opinion of the European Parliament of 20 September 1996 (O] No C 320, 28. 10. 1996), Council common position of 11 November 1996 (O] No C 372, 9. 12. 1996, p. 6) and Deci- sion of the European Parliament of 28 November 1996 (not yet published in the Official Journal). burden out of proportion to the results which users of the said statistics can reasonably expect; Whereas Council Regulation (EEC) No 3330/91 of 7 November 1991 on the statistics relating to the trading of goods between Member States () provides that the conditions should be created for increased use of auto- matic data processing and electronic data transmission for the purpose of facilitating the task of the parties respon- sible for providing information; Whereas it is necessary to ease the burden which statis- tical returns place on businesses, while at the same time improving the circulation of statistical information with a view to the creation of the European information market; Whereas the compilation of harmonized statistics, in particular with a link between statistics on trade and other economic statistics, should be ensured in order to contri- bute to market transparency and to the evaluation of the competitiveness of businesses; Whereas the promotion of the use of harmonized stan- dards and concepts at European level will ultimately lead to the elimination of duplication and to economies of scale, while facilitating the emergence of new services in the field of statistical telematics; Whereas standardization carried out at international level in the sphere of electronic data interchange (EDI) contri- butes to facilitating international trade and to simplifying relations between undertakings and administrative au- thorities; () OJ No L 316, 16. 11. 1991, p. 1. Regulation as amended by Regulation (EEC) No 3046/92 (O] No L 307, 23. 10. 1992, p. 27).