28.8.93 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 21971 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COUNCIL COUNCIL DECISION of 22 July 1993 on the framework programme for priority actions in the field of statistical information 1993 to (93/464/EEC) THE COUNCIL OF 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 (1), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (2), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3), Whereas the Community has taken important decisions with a view to the implementation and smooth operation of the Single Market, whereas it is contemplating Economic and Monetary Union; Whereas the Community should be able to have access to statistical information comparable between the Member States which is up-to-date, reliable, relevant and produced as efficiently as possible for the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of its policies; Whereas, in order to ensure the consistency and comparability of statistical information in the Community, there is a need to establish a medium-term statistical framework programme which will be carried out either by mutual agreement between the Commission and the Member States or by means of specific actions to be (1) OJ No C 277, 26. 10. 1992, p. 54. (2) O] No C 176, 28. 6. 1993. (3) OJ No C 19, 25. 1. 1993, p. 62. decided on, depending on the case, by the Council or for limited actions, the Commission; Whereas the specific actions will as a general rule be implemented under the authority of the bodies and institutions responsible for compiling official statistics; Whereas the specific method of drawing up Community statistics, which is based on national statistical authorities, requires particularly close cooperation in the Statistical Programme Committee as regards the introduction of legal instruments necessary to establish the said Community statistics; ‘ Whereas before submitting its proposal the Commission consulted the Statistical Programme Committee, the Committee on Monetary, Financial and Balance of Payments Statistics, the European Advisory Committee on statistical information in the economic and social spheres, the Standing Committee on Agricultural Statistics, and the Committee on External Trade Statistics, and whereas these Committees have reacted favourably to the Commission proposal, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 The Community statistical framework programme shall indicate priority actions envisaged during the period from 1993 to 1997. The programme is annexed hereto.