4.7.2000 Official Journal of the European Communities L163/1 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) DECISION No 1445/2000/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 22 May 2000 on the application of aerial-survey and remote-sensing techniques to the agricultural statistics for 1999 to 2003 THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 285 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ('), Acting in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 251 of the Treaty (%), Whereas: 1) Council Decision 94/753/EC of 14 November 1994 on the continued application of remote sensing to agricul- tural statistics during the period 1994 to 1998 (*) lapsed on 31 December 1998. There is an especially felt need for information on land use and on the condition of crops in the context of new developments in the common agricultural policy and with a view to enlargement, in particular for the analysis of interactions between agriculture, the environment and the countryside. The detailed rules for implementing the measures contained in Decision 94/753/EC should be adjusted and reorganised in the light of the experience gained and the results achieved. In cooperation with the Member States concerned, an aerial-survey system should be introduced to collect the necessary data on land use and other variables of interest. Since the agrometeorological system for forecasting yields and the monitoring of crop condition are now at the operational stage, they should be separated from those measures requiring further research. () O C 396, 19.12.1998, p. 25. (*) Opinion of the European Parliament of 13 January 1999 (O] C 104, 14.4.1999, p. 43), confirmed on 16 September 1999, Council Common Position of 24 January 2000 (O] C 83, 22.3.2000, p. 80) and Decision of the European Parliament of 12 April 2000. () O] L 299, 22.11.1994, p. 27. (6) (10) (11) The remote-sensing activities requiring further research and development in the period 1999 to 2003 are covered by the fifth framework programme in the field of research and development (¥). Provision should already be made for incorporating into the operational activities covered by this Decision, where appropriate, the developments in methodology that may result from that research. It is also appropriate to provide that the Commission should be able to delegate the implementation of these measures, under its supervision, to Community or national bodies responsible for the production of agri- cultural statistics or to bodies recognised by them. The statistical measures employing aerial-survey and remote-sensing techniques comply with the principle of subsidiarity, to the extent that the Member States and the Commission share the responsibility for, and imple- mentation of, the various measures in accordance with criteria of efficiency and feasibility. These measures contribute to improving the Communi- ty's statistical tools for framing, managing and monitoring the common agricultural policy. This Decision lays down, for the entire duration of the programme, a financial framework constituting the prin- cipal point of reference, within the meaning of point 1, second subparagraph, of the Declaration by the Euro- pean Parliament, the Council and Commission of 6 March 1995 (), for the budgetary authority during the annual budgetary procedure. The measures necessary for the implementation of this Decision should be adopted in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission (¢), 26, 1.2.1999, p. 1. o) L () O] C 102, 4.4.1996, p. 4. o] L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23.