1.7.92 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 179/131 COUNCIL DECISION of 18 June 1992 establishing a two-year programme (1992 to 1993) for the development of European statistics on services (92/326/EEC) THE COUNCIL CF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 213 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Par- liament (), Whereas the Council resolution of 19 June 1989 on the implementation of a plan of priority actions in the field of statistical information : statistical programme of the European Communities (1989 to 1992) () highlighted the need for a comprehensive and coherent framework that would satisfy Community statistical information require- ments by ensuring the approximation of methods and a common basis for concepts, definitions and standards; Whereas the statistical programme of the European Communities provides for the improvement of statistics on services as a necessary instrument for the efficient functioning of the internal market ; whereas the inventory of available information, carried out in the framework of the statistical programme, highlighted considerable gaps in service statistics ; Whereas Council Decision 89/490/EEC of 28 July 1989 on the improvement of the business environment and the promotion of the development of enterprises, and in particular small and medium-sized enterprises, in the Community (}), may necessitate providing these enter- prises, most of which are in the service sectors, with statis- tical information to enable them to operate efficiently in the internal market; Whereas in Council Directive 89/130/EEC, Euratom, of 13 February 1989 concerning the harmonization of the compilation of gross national product at market prices (*) it is stated that improved GNPmp coverage presupposes the development of statistical bases ; whereas the growing importance of services in the economy makes statistics on services an essential component of these statistical bases ; Whereas the Council resolution of 14 November 1989 on internal trade in the context of the internal market (%) () OJ No C 129, 20. 5. 1991, p. 165. (® OJ No C 161, 28. 6. 1989, p. 1. ) OJ No L 239, 16. 8. 1989, p. 33. () OJ No L 49, 21. 2. 1989, p. 26. () OJ No C 297, 25. 11. 1989, p. 2. highlighted the need to improve trade statistics by making them compatible with Community definitions ; Whereas in Council Decision 88/524/EEC of 26 July 1988 concerning the establishment of a plan of action for setting up an information services market (%), basic infor- mation on this sector is considered necessary for formula- ting policy on this market; Whereas, taking acount of Council Directive 89/552/EEC of 3 October 1989 on the coordination of certain provi- sions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in the Member States concerning the pursuit of television broadcasting activities (), the collection of comparable basic information on audiovisual services is essential for the integration and further development of this sector; Whereas in the resolution of the European Parliament of 17 March 1989 on the impact of infrastructures and the tertiary sector on regional development — prospects for a new regional policy (*), the Commission is asked to supply harmonized data on services, broken down by regions; Whereas multilateral negotiations on international trade in services require improved statistics to achieve effective long-term liberalization ; Whereas attention must be devoted to simplifying as far as possible collection procedures for enterprises, while maintaining data quality, by developing appropriate basic statistical tools, and to ensuring that the administrative burden on enterprises is not needlessly increased ; Whereas for the purpose of monitoring the establishment of a people’s Europe, an exploratory study should be carried out into the possibility of extending the collection of statistics to cover non-commercial services for indivi- duals and the community ; Whereas a programme lasting two years is called for; Whereas an amount of ECU 8,5 million is estimated as necessary to implement this two-year programme ; () OJ No L 288, 21. 10. 1988, p. 39. () O] No L 298, 17. 10. 1989, p. 23. () OJ No C 96, 17. 4. 1989, p. 243.