Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Decision amending Decision 96/411/EC on improving Community agricultural statistics
26. 10. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 307 E/29 Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Decision amending Decision 96/411/EC on improving Community agricultural statistics (1999/C 307 E/03) COM(1999) 332 final - 1999/0137(COD) (Submitted by the Commission on 8 July 1999) THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 1. Article 2(a) is replaced by the following: Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 285 thereof, á(a) define the priority statistical fields, including those set out in Annex II, which may be the subject of actions at Member State level for the following year;í Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 2. Article 3 is replaced by the following: Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty, Article 3 (1) Whereas Council Decision 96/411/EC of 25 June 1996 on improving Community agricultural statistics, most recently amended by Decision 98/3/EC (1), is designed to allow Community agricultural statistics to respond more satisfac- torily to the information needs arising from the reform of the common agricultural policy; (2) Whereas the report by the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on progress in implementing Decision 96/411/EC makes a positive assessment of the application of that Decision; (3) Whereas the process of adapting national statistical systems to the needs arising from the reform of the common agri- cultural policy has not yet been completed; (4) Whereas Council Decision 1999/126/EC of 22 December 1998 (2) on the Community statistical programme for 1998 to 2002 recommends continuation of to improve existing agricultural statistics and to plan future developments with a view to responding more satisfactorily to the needs of the common agricultural policy; the actions (5) Whereas the validity of Decision 96/411/EC needs to be extended; Application time frame and procedure The process of adapting Community agricultural statistics provided for in Article 1 shall be continued during the period 2000-2002. the Commission through technical action plans as provided for in Article 4. After this period, the Council may decide to extend the process in accordance with the Commission proposals provided for in Article 11. í coordinated by shall be It 3. Article 4(2) is deleted. 4. Article 5 is replaced by the following: Article 5 Member State reports The Member States shall submit to the Commission: (a) by 31 May of each year, a communication setting out their intention, if any, to participate in priority actions for the following year, accompanied by a summary of the plans for implementation and an estimate of costs; (6) Whereas certain provisions of Decision 96/411/EC need to be amended in the light of experience, so as, inter alia, to simplify their implementation, (b) following adoption by the Commission of the technical action plan, a working plan for each action which concerns them; HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 Decision 96/411/EC is amended as follows: (1) OJ L 1, 3. 1. 1998, p. 9. (2) OJ L 42, 16. 2. 1999, p. 1. (c) after completion of each action, a brief report on the action in which they have implementation of participated. The documents to be submitted pursuant to points a), b) and c) to the methodology of implementation, work to be carried out, difficulties identified and proposals for overcoming them, the planned amendments should cover C 307 E/30 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 26. 10. 1999 the national and Community resources to be mobilised and proposals for improvements at Community level. Actions for which Community financial support is required shall be identified as such. Following the procedure laid down in Article 10, the Commission shall draw up simplified standard forms to facilitate the presentation of the above information. í cation to and acceptance by the Commission of the working plan for the action in question. The balance shall be paid once the report on implementation of the action by the Member States has been submitted to and approved by the Commission. The Commission shall carry out any on-the-spot checks it deems necessary in cooperation with the competent authorities of the Member States. í 6. In Article 11, the year 1999í is replaced by 2002í. 5. Article 6(3) is replaced by the following: 3. The contribution shall be paid to the Member States in two tranches, the first of which, equivalent to 30 % of the cost of the action, shall be paid as an advance, after notifi- Article 2 This Decision is addressed to the Member States