5.5.1999 Official Journal of the European Communities L 117/39 COUNCIL DECISION of 26 April 1999 establishing a Community statistical information infrastructure relating to the industry and markets of the audiovisual and related sectors (1999/297/EC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 213 thereof, Having regard to the draft Decision submitted by the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Parlia- ment ('), (1)  Whereas in order to implement Community pol- icies on the industry and markets of the audiovisual and related sectors it is necessary to establish a Community statistical information infrastructure; (2)  Whereas the European Council, in particular in the White Paper on growth, competitiveness and employment stresses the economic importance of the audiovisual sector and the Bangemann Group report, entitled ‘Europe and the global information society — recommendations to the European Council’, recognises the strategic importance of the audiovisual programme industry; (3) Whereas a reliable information infrastructure must be organised by means of individual statistical actions; (4)  Whereas Council Decision 93/464/EEC of 22 July 1993 on a framework programme for priority actions in the field of statistical information 1993 to 1997 (%) specified that the audiovisual sector should be regarded as one of the priority service sectors at Community level and provided for the establishment of a new information system based on the ‘enterprise’ approach and functional statis- tics; ()  Whereas Annex I, Title III of the Community Stat- istical Programme 1998 to 2002 (°) refers to the carrying out of user requirement analyses, source assessment, data collection and testing of methods by pilot studies in the audiovisual sector; (6)  Whereas these pilot studies should be reviewed to ensure they meet user requirements; whereas this should be undertaken within two and a half years; whereas the results of this review should be () Opinion delivered on 9 March 1999 (not yet published in the Official Journal). () OJ L 219, 28.8.1993, p. 1. () OJ L 42, 16.2.1999, p. 12. communicated to the European Parliament and the Council; whereas at all stages additional burdens on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) should be minimised; (7)  Whereas individual statistical actions are governed by Council Regulation (EC) No 322/97 of 17 February 1997 on Community Statistics (*); (8)  Whereas, by virtue of the principle of subsidiarity, the objective of the proposed individual statistical actions can be achieved only by a Community legal instrument, as only the Commission is in a posi- tion to coordinate the requisite harmonisation of information at Community level; ©) Whereas, within the framework of the Council of Europe, the European Audiovisual Observatory, of which the Commission is a member, constitutes inter alia an important source of information for its members and their professionals and whereas it is necessary to ensure complementarity between the work undertaken under this Decision and the work of the Observatory; (10) Whereas the statistical methodologies proposed for the audiovisual sector should be compatible and consistent with the existing European standards and methodologies; (11)  Whereas the Statistical Programme Committee established by Decision 89/382/EEC, Euratom (°), has been informed in accordance with Article 3 of that Decision, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 Objective The objective of this Decision is to establish the Community statistical information infrastructure neces- sary for the development and implementation of a Community policy on the industry and markets of the audiovisual and related sectors. () OJ L 52, 22.2.1997, p. 1. () OJ L 181, 28.6.1989, p. 47.