No L 273/12 - Official Journal of the -European Communities 5. 10. 88 COUNCIL COUNCIL DECISION of 26 September 1988 adopting a pilot project on remote sensing applied to agricultural statistics (88/503/EEC) THE COUNCIL OF THE BUROPEAN 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, Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament ('), Whereas, in order to meet the needs of the common agricultural policy, action is needed to identify and measure as accurately and rapidly as possible the areas under main crops, and in particular those for which production aid is granted on an area basis; Whereas, for the management of the agricultural markets, reliable regionally-based estimates of production must be available in good time ; Whereas the availability of forecasts for the production of crops which have the greatest impact on world markets, in third countries, is also relevant to the management of agricultural markets and for the independence of Community decision-making ; Whereas remote sensing could be likely to offer a response to these needs, which have not been met to date by the existing agricultural statistics and forecasting systems; whereas it could enhance the accuracy, objectivity, speed and frequency with which observations are made when statistical data are collected ; whereas it could help perfect agricultural forecasting models, and in particular  establish  regionally-based  agricultural forecasting models ; Whereas remote sensing must be incorporated into the existing statistical systems to make good sepcific defici- encies or weaknesses and 1o replace to better advantage certain aspects of the work currently being carried out ; (") Opinion delivered on 16 September 1988 (not yet published in the Official Journal) Whereas remote sensing could have applications — in its own right or as an adjunct — in the establishment and collection of agricultural statistics ; Whereas a consultation procedure setting up close co-operation between the Member States and the Commission on the basis of past and present experience gainéd by the Member States in incorporating remote sensing in existing statistical systems, in particular- through the medium of the Standing Committee on Agricultural Statistics set up by Decision 72/279/EEC (%) ; ' Whereas remote sensing could help align the Member States’ various agricultural statistical systems, by establishing a common means of collecting and transmitting information ; Whereas remote sensing could enable savings to be planned in the future, either directly in the cost of drawing up sampling plans and of collecting statistical data, or indirectly in expenditure of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF); Whereas steps should be taken to develop the operational applications of remote sensing to agricultural statistics in the short, medium and long term, and to continue the measures embarked upon ; Whereas these operational applications of remote sensing to agricultural statistics must be conducted in a manner which is compatible with the programme adopted by Decision 85/318/EEC (") on the establishment of an information system on the state of the environment and natural resources in the Community, HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: Article 1 1. The pilot project on remote sensing applied to agricultural statistics, set out in the Annex, is hereby adopted for a period of five years from 1 January 1989. () OJ No L 179, 7. 8.-1972, p. 1. () O] No L 176, 6. 7. 1985, p. 14.