Division FIVE-YEAR STATISTICAL PROGRAMME: OBJECTIVES AND ACTIONS

This Annex provides a summary of statistical needs and requirements viewed from the perspective of the policy needs of the EU. Following a first section related to cross-sectional statistical activities in support of overall policy priorities, these needs are classified by the Titles identified in the Treaty establishing the European Community (EC Treaty). This may lead to repetition because some statistical activities contribute to more than one Title. For each policy area this Annex provides the legal framework, the current situation and the main initiatives to be taken within this five-year period.

Priorities, defined by the Commission, will be discussed each year with Member States in order to bring about proposals for simplification of the statistical requirements to be integrated in the process of adopting new legal bases and their implementing measures. Best practices in data collection will be regularly discussed with and exchanged among Member States in order to promote simplification and modernisation in data collection methods which would ease the burden on respondents.