OBJECTIVE: adoption of a new Directive on compulsory statistical surveys relating to milk and
milk products, aimed at easing certain obligations and increasing flexibility, without exceeding the
capacities or disregarding the individual circumstances of the different Member States.
COMMUNITY MEASURE: Council Directive 96/16/EC on statistical surveys of milk and milk
products.
SUBSTANCE: under the Directive, surveys on the production and use of milk on farms can be
conducted in accordance with uniform criteria, and their accuracy improved. Companies which treat
or process milk will be the subject of monthly surveys carried out in all the Member States. The
Directive lays down common criteria to determine the scope of the surveys, the characteristics to be
recorded, and survey procedures.
Data gathering and the organization of surveys at national level are the responsibility of the Member
States. The Commission compiles, coordinates, and harmonizes statistics at European level.
At the end of a three-year trial period, a report on the experience acquired will be submitted to the
Council. If, in the light of that report, the necessary conditions can be seen to have been met, this
new statistical area will have to be included in national questionnaires.
ENTRY INTO FORCE: 17/04/1996
DEADLINE FOR TRANSPOSITION: 01/01/1997.�