Statistics: European Advisory Committee on Community Statistical Information Policy (repeal. Decision 91/116/EEC)

2006/0217(COD)

The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Ieke van den BURG (PES, NL) on the proposal for a decision setting up a European Advisory Committee on Community Statistical Information Policy. Compromise amendments were agreed between the rapporteur, the Commission and the Council Presidency. The main amendments were as follows:

Name: the name of the Committee is changed to the European Statistical Advisory Committee.

Tasks: Parliament’s re-definition of the tasks of the Committee now include delivering an opinion on the following, inter alia: the balance between different areas in the Community statistical programme, the annual statistical work programme of the Commission, and possibilities of re-prioritising statistical work;         the sufficiency of the resources needed to implement the Community statistical programme, and whether the scope, level of detail, and costs of European statistics are commensurate with users' needs; the costs related to the provision of statistical information by information providers and possibilities of reducing the response burden, with particular reference to the burden on SMEs. The Statistical Advisory Committee will also draw the Commission's attention to areas in which it may be necessary to develop new statistical activities and shall advise the Commission on how to improve the relevance of the European statistics to users. For the performance of its tasks the Statistical Advisory Council may commission studies and hold seminars.

The Statistical Advisory Council shall cooperate with the Statistical Programme Committee and the Committee on Monetary, Financial and Balance of Payments Statistics. It shall regularly inform those two committees of its opinions regarding the tasks and shall send them opinions and reports that it has drawn up.

Composition: the Statistical Advisory Board shall consist of 24 members. a) 12 members of the Statistical Advisory Board shall be appointed by the Commission after consultation of the European Parliament and the Council. They shall act independently. With a view to the appointment of these members, each Member State shall provide the Commission with a list of three candidates with a well-established qualification in the field of statistics. The Commission shall endeavour to ensure that the selection of those twelve members represents equally users, respondents and other stakeholders in European statistics (including the scientific community, the social partners and civil society). Those members shall perform their duties in their personal capacity b) 11 members shall be directly appointed by the bodies to which they belong (including one from the European Data Protection Supervisor). The Director-General of Eurostat shall be an ex-officio member of the Statistical Advisory Board without a voting right.

Duration of mandate: Members of the Statistical Advisory Council shall be appointed for a term of 5 years (as opposed to 4 as proposed by the Commission), renewable once. The Chair shall be appointed for a term of five years, renewable once.

Operation: the expenses of the Statistical Advisory Committee shall be included in the budgetary estimates of the Commission.

Lastly, Parliament stated that the decision should enter into force three months after publication in the Official Journal.

This proposal is closely linked to the proposal for the establishment of a European Statistical Governance Advisory Board (please see COD/2006/0199).