21.6.93 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 149/1 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COUNCIL COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 93/23/EEC of 1 June 1993 on the statistical surveys to be carried out on pig production THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 43 thereof, ' Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1, Having regard to the .opinion of the European Parliament (2), Whereas Council Directive 76/630/EEC of 20 July 1976 concerning surveys of pig production made by Member States (3) has been amended several times; and whereas, further amendments being necessary, the provisions thereof should, for reasons of clarity, be recast; Whereas provision should be made for those Member States whose pig population makes up only a small percentage of the overall population of the Community to reduce the number of annual surveys where appropriate; Whereas, in order to ensure that the common agricultural policy is properly administered, particularly where the pigmeat market is concerned, the Commission requires regular data on trends in livestock and in pigmeat production; (1) O] No C 18, 23. 1. 1993, p. 12, (2) O] No C 115, 26. 4..1993. (3) OJ No L 223, 16. 8. 1976, p. 4. Directive last amended by Regulaton (EEC) No 1057/91{0}NoE 167, 27. 4. 1991, - p. 11). ‘Whereas the collection and processing of the data as well as the organization of the survey at national level should continue to lie within the competence of the statistical services of the Member States, and the Commission should be responsible for the coordination and harmonization of statistical information at European level and arrange for the harmonized methodologies necessary to implement Community policies; . : Whereas, in order to facilitate implementation of this Directive, close cooperation is necessary between the - Member States and the Commission and this should be effected in particular via the Standing Committee on Agricultural  Statistics set up by  Decision 72/279/EEC (4), HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: SECTION I SURVEYS OF THE POPULATION A. At national level Frequency — field of survey Article 1 1. The Member States shall carry out statistical surveys of the pig population on their territory each year with reference to one of the first days of April, August and December. () O] No L 179, 7. 8. 1972, p. 1.