Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EEC) No 571/88 on the organisation of Community surveys on the structure of agricultural holdings after enlargement

Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL amending Council Regulation (EEC) No 571/88 on the organisation of Community surveys on the structure of agricultural holdings after enlargement

(presented by the Commission)

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

In accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 571/88, as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 143/2002, the Member States shall be required to conduct a survey on the structure of agricultural holdings in 2005 and 2007, as part of the multiannual programme of surveys covering the period to 2007. Article 14 of this Regulation provides that the Member States shall be reimbursed "20 ECU per holding for the expenses incurred in carrying out the surveys, subject to a maximum amount per survey".

The proposed Regulation establishes the maximum Community contribution for the 2005 and 2007 surveys to be carried out in Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia. These maximum amounts have been determined on the basis of the number of agricultural holdings and the surface area of the countries concerned, in such a way as to ensure that these countries are treated in a comparable manner to the current Member States. Moreover, as this is a multiannual programme which will be adopted under the co-decision procedure in accordance with the Interinstitutional Agreement of 6 May 1999 [1], the proposed Regulation lays down the financial framework for the remainder of the programme.

[1] OJ C 172, 18.6.1999, p. 1

2003/0234 (COD)

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 285(1) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal of the Commission [2],

[2] OJ C [...], [...], p. [...].

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty [3],

[3] OJ C [...], [...], p. [...].

Whereas:

(1) Council Regulation (EEC) No 571/88 of 29 February 1988 on the organisation of Community surveys on the structure of agricultural holdings [4], as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 143/2002 [5], provides for the Member States to be reimbursed up to a maximum amount per survey, as a contribution to expenses incurred.

[4] OJ L 56, 2.3.1988, p. 1

[5] OJ L 13, 16.1.2002, p. 28.

(2) In order to carry out the surveys on the structure of agricultural holdings, considerable funding will be required from the Member States and from the Community to meet the information requirements of the Community institutions.

(3) In the light of the accession of Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia, and with a view to conducting surveys on the structure of agricultural holdings in these new Member States in 2005 and 2007, it is appropriate to provide for a maximum Community contribution per survey.

(4) This Regulation establishes, for the remainder of the programme, a financial framework which will constitute the budgetary authority's prime reference within the meaning of point 33 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 6 May 1999 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission [6] on budgetary discipline and improvement of the budgetary procedure,

[6] OJ C 172, 18.6.1999, p. 1

HAVE ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Regulation (EEC) 571/88 is amended as follows:

1. The following maximum amounts of the Community contribution towards the expenses incurred for the 2005 and 2007 surveys to be carried out in Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia are inserted in Article 14(1):

"EUR25 000 for Malta,

EUR200 000 for Cyprus,

EUR500 000 for Estonia and Slovenia

EUR700 000 for the Slovak Republic

EUR1 100 000 for the Czech Republic, Latvia and Lithuania,

EUR2 000 000 for Hungary and Poland."

2. In Article 14, the third sub-paragraph of paragraph 1 is replaced by the following:

"The financial framework for the implementation of this programme, including the appropriations necessary for the management of the Eurofarm project, shall be set at EUR43.7 million for the period 2004-2006, and at EUR29.3 million for the period 2007-2009.

The amount of EUR29 300 000 shall be deemed to be confirmed if it is consistent with the financial perspective for the period commencing in 2007.

The annual appropriations shall be authorised by the budgetary authority within the limits of the financial perspective."

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and shall be directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, [...]

For the European Parliament For the Council

The President The President

LEGISLATIVE FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Policy area(s): Agriculture, Statistics

Activities: Policy strategy and coordination

Title of action: Amendment of Council Regulation (EEC) No 571/88 on the organisation of Community surveys on the structure of agricultural holdings

INTRODUCTORY REMARK

This financial statement covers both the proposal for a legal act and Council Regulation 2467/96 of 17 December 1996, which drew up the programme of surveys on the structure of agricultural holdings for the period 1998 to 2007.

In accordance with the Interinstitutional Agreement of 6 May 1999 between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and improvement of the budgetary procedure, the proposal for a legal act contains a provision on the financial framework for the entire action for the remainder of the programme.

To make it possible to grant the Community contribution, the total cost of each survey is spread over several years. Thus, the Community contribution for the 2007 survey is spread over the period 2006-2009.

The proposed framework covers the costs of the 2005 and 2007 surveys which will be carried out in EU-25, and certain expenditure for the 2003 survey carried out in EU-15.

1. Budget line(s) + Headings

50802 (ex B2-5121) : Surveys on the structure of agricultural holdings.

2. Overall figures

2.1 Total allocation for the action (part B): EUR million for commitment appropriations:

EUR73 000 000 of which EUR43 700 000 for the period 2004-2006 and EUR29 300 000 for the period 2007-2009.

2.2 Period of application:

2004-2009

2.3 Overall multiannual estimate on expenditure:

a) Schedule of commitment appropriations/payment appropriations (financial intervention) (see point 6.1.1)

EUR million (to 3rd decimal place)

>TABLE POSITION>

b) Technical and administrative assistance and support expenditure (see point 6.1.2)

>TABLE POSITION>

c) Overall financial impact of human resources and other administrative expenditure (see points 7.2 and 7.3)

>TABLE POSITION>

2.4 Compatibility with the financial programming and the financial perspective

|X| Proposal compatible with the existing financial programming for the period 2004-2006.

| | This proposal will entail reprogramming of the relevant heading in the financial perspective.

| | This may entail application of the provisions of the Interinstitutional Agreement.

2.5 Financial impact on revenue

|X| No financial impact (involves the technical aspects of implementing a measure).

3. BUDGET CHARACTERISTICS

>TABLE POSITION>

4. LEGAL BASIS

Article 285 of the Treaty.

5. DESCRIPTION AND GROUNDS

5.1 Need for Community intervention

The surveys on the structure of agricultural holdings play a key role in agricultural statistics. At regular intervals (normally every two years), they provide a substantial volume of statistical information on the main socio-structural characteristics of Community agriculture (size of holdings, type of farming and economic size, other gainful activity, type of tenure, etc.). This information is collected through surveys (either censuses or representative sample surveys) of holdings, using a questionnaire which is harmonised at Community level. The information is useful not only in implementing the rural development policy, but has many other uses related to the management of agricultural markets and to other policies (in particular, regional, social and environmental policy). In addition, the structures survey provides the basic files needed to carry out other agricultural statistics surveys (livestock surveys, surveys of fruit trees etc.). Lastly, the structures surveys play a key role also in the ex-post evaluation of the socio-economic impact of agricultural and rural development policies, in that they make it possible to track trends over time for the main characteristics of agricultural holdings.

The Community contribution covers only a very small share of the total cost of carrying out the surveys: about 5% of the total costs of a basic survey (census) and about 15% of a sample survey. Nevertheless, this contribution is necessary to partially offset the additional costs incurred by the Member States in meeting the specific statistical requirements of the Commission. Also, this contribution is vital to ensure improved harmonisation of collection methods, and of survey characteristics and survey timetables, at Community level.

5.2 Actions envisaged and arrangements for budget intervention

The envisaged activity targets:

- The Community institutions

- The Member States

- The general public (business, universities, professional associations, etc.).

Council Regulation (EC) No 2467/96 of 17 December 1996, amending Regulation (EEC) No 571/88, concerns the surveys to be carried out for the period 1998 to 2007. For this period one census is planned in 1999/2000 and 3 interim surveys in 2003, 2005 and 2007, which may be carried out, at the discretion of the Member States, either as censuses or sample surveys. As a contribution to expenses incurred by Member States in conducting these surveys, 20 ECU per holding for which complete survey results are forwarded to the Statistical Office will be reimbursed to Member States, up to a maximum established for each Member State on the basis of the number of holdings to be covered.

The action includes the development and management of the EUROFARM project, which is the database containing the results of the structures surveys. This is a database containing data on millions of individual agricultural holdings. Apart from the dissemination of 'standard' tabular results, it makes it possible to compile 'ad-hoc' tables in response to specific problems. The Commission reports regularly to the European Parliament and to the Council on the implementation of the EUROFARM project. The most recent report on the functioning of the EUROFARM project was submitted on 31 March 2003 [7] .

[7] COM (2003) 86 final

5.3 Methods of implementation

Direct management by the Commission.

6. FINANCIAL IMPACT

6.1 Total financial impact on Part B (over the entire programming period)

6.1.1 Financial intervention

Commitments in EUR million (to 3rd decimal place)

>TABLE POSITION>

6.1.2 Technical and administrative assistance, support expenditure and IT expenditure (Commitment appropriations)

>TABLE POSITION>

6.2. Calculation of costs by measure envisaged in Part B (over the entire programming period)

Commitments in EUR million (to 3rd decimal place)

>TABLE POSITION>

7. IMPACT ON STAFF AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENDITURE

Impact on human resources

>TABLE POSITION>

8. FOLLOW-UP AND EVALUATION

8.1 Follow-up arrangements

The data to be collected are defined in a list of characteristics, adopted by a decision of the Commission after consulting the Standing Committee on Agricultural Statistics.

8.2 Arrangements and schedule for the planned evaluation

The legislation in force stipulates that the Member States must notify Eurostat, according to a pre-defined timetable and procedure, of the results of the surveys and provide it with information on the organisation and methodology of the surveys. The Standing Committee on Agricultural Statistics is also notified, where necessary. Lastly, the Commission is required to report to the Council, at three-year intervals, on the implementation of this action and in particular on the operation of the database established on the basis of the survey results (Eurofarm).

9. ANTI-FRAUD MEASURES

a) Payments for contracts and agreements concluded by the Commission are made only on the basis of the results obtained.

b) Statistical information is considered to be an objective instrument for evaluating Community action programmes and thus contributes to consolidating the anti-fraud provisions.