11.3.2003 Official Journal of the European Union L 661 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) REGULATION (EC) No 437/2003 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 27 February 2003 on statistical returns in respect of the carriage of passengers, freight and mail by air THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Commu- nity, 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 (), Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (), Whereas: (1) To carry out the tasks entrusted to them, in the context of the Community air transport policy and that of the future development of the Common Transport Policy, the Community institutions should have at their disposal comparable, consistent, synchronised and regular statis- tical data on the scale and development of the carriage of passengers, freight and mail by air within the Community or to and from the Community. (2)  There are currently no such comprehensive Community- wide statistics. (3)  Council Decision 1999/126/EC of 22 December 1998 on the Community statistical programme 1998 to 2002 (*) has identified the need to establish such statis- tics. (4)  The common data collection on a comparable or harmo- nised basis makes possible the provision of an integrated system with reliable, consistent and prompt information. (5)  The data for the carriage of passengers, freight and mail by air should, where possible, be compatible with inter- national data provided by the International Civil Avia- () 0] C 325, 6.12.1995, p. 11. () 0] € 39,12.2.1996, p. 25. (*) Opinion of the European Parliament of 29 February 1996 (O] C 78, 18.3.1996, p. 28), confirmed on 16 September 1999 (O] C 54, 25.2.2000, p. 79), Council Common Position of 30 September 2002 (O] C 275 E, 12.11.2002, p. 33) and Decision of the European Parliament of 18 December 2002 (not yet published in the Official Journal). () OJ L 42, 16.2.1999, p. 1. (11) 0) () 0 0J ) 0J tion Organisation (ICAO) and be made comparable, where applicable, as between Member States and for the different modes of transport. After a certain period, the Commission should submit a report in order to allow an assessment of the application of this Regulation to be made. In accordance with the principle of subsidiarity laid down in Article 5 of the Treaty, the creation of common statistical standards that permit the production of harmonised data is an action which can only be under- taken efficiently at Community level. Such standards should be implemented in each Member State under the authority of the bodies and institutions in charge of producing official statistics. Council Regulation (EC) No 322/97 of 17 February 1997 on Community statistics (°) provides a reference framework for the provisions laid down by this Regula- tion. The measures necessary for the implementation of this Regulation should be adopted in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission (°). The Statistical Programme Committee established by Council Decision 89/382/EEC, Euratom (') has been consulted. Arrangements for greater cooperation over the use of Gibraltar airport were agreed in London on 2 December 1987 by the Kingdom of Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in a joint declara- tion by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the two coun- tries, and such arrangements have yet to come into operation, L 52,22.2.1997,p. 1. L 184,17.7.1999, p. 23. L 181, 28.6.1989, p. 47.