19.6.1999 Official Journal of the European Communities L 154/1 I (Acts whose publication is obligatory) COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1225/1999 of 27 May 1999 concerning the definitions of characteristics for insurance services statistics (Text with EEA relevance) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 58/97 of 20 December 1996 concerning structural business statistics (1), as last amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 410/98 (2), and in particular Article 12(iii) thereof, (1) Whereas Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 58/97 established a common framework for the production of Community statistics on the structure, activity, performance and competitiveness of the insurance sector in the Community; (2)  Whereas it is necessary to implement a set of definitions for the insurance services statistics characteristics; (3)  Whereas the measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Statistical Programme Committee, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 1. The characteristics referred to in Article 4 of Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 58/97 are defined in the Annex to this Regulation. (Y OJ L 14,17.1.1997, p. 1. () OJ L 52,21.2.1998, p. 1. 2. In these definitions, references to company accounts use the headings laid down in Article 6 (balance sheet), Article 34 (profit and loss account) or Article 63 (notes on the accounts) of Council Directive 91/674/EEC(>) on the annual accounts and consolidated accounts of insurance undertakings. Article 2 1.  Member States shall apply these definitions for the list A characteristics listed in point 3, Section 4 of Annex 5 to Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 58/97 for the 1999 reference year and subsequent years and for the list B of characteristics listed in point 4, Section 4 of Annex 5 to the said Regulation for the 2003 reference year and subsequent years. 2.  Member States shall also apply these definitions for list A characteristics for the 1996, 1997 and 1998 reference years where this corresponds to existing national practices and for list B of characteristics for the 2000, 2001 and 2002 reference years where this corresponds to existing national practices. Article 3 This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities. () OJ L 374, 31.12.1991, p. 7.