The European Parliament adopted amendments to the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 638/2004 on Community statistics relating to trading of goods between Member States as regards conferring of delegated and implementing powers upon the Commission for the adoption of certain measures, the communication of information by the customs administration, the exchange of confidential data between Member States and the definition of statistical value
The matter was referred back for reconsideration to the committee responsible. The vote was postponed to a later session.
The main amendments adopted in plenary are as follows:
Clarification of the definition of statistical value: Parliament stressed that uniform definitions are essential for the proper and frictionless functioning of cross-border trade and are especially important as a prerequisite for different national authorities to be able to make concordant interpretations of rules having an impact on the cross-border activities of businesses.
Data sources: the statistical information on dispatches and arrivals of goods which are the subject of a single administrative document for customs or fiscal purposes shall be provided directly by customs to the national authorities once a month.
Exchange of confidential data: this exchange should be free of charge if necessary to increase the efficiency of the development, production and dissemination or to improving the quality of those statistics. Such exchanges should also be voluntary and should be possible for a transitional period of five years following the entry into force of the Regulation. Such exchange should not in itself entail increased administrative burden on companies and costs for Member States shall be kept to a minimum.
National authorities shall not transmit such data to any international organisation other than as provided in this Regulation.
Simplification of Intrastat system: simplification of the information to be provided for small individual transactions must have no detrimental effects on the quality of the statistics.
Statistical confidentiality: the national authorities shall ensure that any detrimental effects on a party or parties providing information is clearly outweighed by statistical benefits.
Statistical confidentiality: national authorities shall ensure that any detrimental effects on a party or parties providing information is clearly outweighed by statistical benefits.
Delegated acts: Members amended the duration of the Commission’s power to adopt delegated acts. The delegation of power is no longer to last for an indeterminate period but will be for a period of five years, which may be tacitly extended. The Commission shall pursue reductions of costs and administrative burden where possible. In addition, it shall duly justify the actions in intended delegated acts and provide information on any associated burden and production costs.