Procedure completed
| Role | Committee | Rapporteur | Shadows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead | ECON | KARAS Othmar (PPE) |
Legal Basis TFEU 126-p14-a3
Activites
- 2010/07/30 Final act published in Official Journal
- #3028
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2010/07/26
Council Meeting
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2010/07/26
End of procedure in Parliament
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2010/07/26
Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament
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2010/07/06
Results of vote in Parliament
- Results of vote in Parliament
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T7-0253/2010
summary
The European Parliament adopted by 588 votes to 35, with 36 abstentions, a legislative resolution approving, subject to amendments, the proposal for a Council regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 479/2009 as regards the quality of statistical data in the context of the excessive deficit procedure.In its resolution, Parliament states that unfortunately, neither the Commission (Eurostat)'s warning, issued as long ago as 2004, nor the Commission's initiatives in this area, set out in its communication of 22 December 2004 entitled "Towards a European governance strategy for fiscal statistics" , led to reforms by the Council of the governance framework for financial statistics, which were overdue even then. Had timely action been taken, the errors in reporting the relevant data on public deficit could have been identified much sooner and the resulting crisis could at least have been contained. It is therefore of critical importance that the Commission (Eurostat) receive an appropriate competence framework, adequate staffing and as much independence as possible.The main amendments are as follows:- the Commission should assess and draw conclusions about how the collection and evaluation of financial statistics from Member States was conducted in the past. Those conclusions should be reported to the European Parliament;- Members consider it essential that ensuring institutional independence of all national statutory statistical bodies is crucial to avoid any undue pressure on them from their respective governments;- it is essential that the data received from the Member States is shared in due time with the European Central Bank's Directorate General for Statistics;- the comparability of economic data requires a uniform methodology. The Commission should therefore promote the harmonisation of statistical data collection;- the Commission should consider elaborating sanctions within the framework of the Stability and Growth Pact in relation to the submission of misrepresented macro-economic statistics by Member States. It should also consider enforcing such sanctions against Member States that falsify the macroeconomic statistics relating to their budget deficit and government debt;- the Member States should provide the Commission (Eurostat) with all statistical and budgetary information on the basis of a standardised and internationally accepted method of accounting. Planned government deficit and government debt level figures shall be the most recent official forecasts, taking into account the most recent budgetary decisions and economic developments and prospects and monthly and quarterly outturns;- in carrying out monitoring visits to a Member State whose statistical information is under scrutiny the Commission (Eurostat) should be entitled to have access to the accounts of government entities at central, state, local and social security levels, including the provision of underlying detailed accounting information, relevant statistical surveys and questionnaires and further related information, including off-balance sheet transactions, respecting the legislation on data protection as well as statistical confidentiality;- the methodological visits may be unannounced and are designed to monitor the processes including the independence of the national statistical authority from the government. These visits, announced or unannounced, shall only be undertaken in cases where serious risks or problems with the quality of the data are suspected. The Commission shall establish a list of cases to be considered as a significant risk or problem relating to the quality of the data;- Member States shall, at the request of the Commission (Eurostat), provide the assistance of experts in national accounting, including for the preparation and undertaking of the methodological visits, which may also be unannounced. In the exercise of their duties, these experts shall provide an independent expertise and shall undergo special training so as to ensure a high level of expertise and impartiality;- Representatives of the European Central Bank may take part and assist the officials of the Commission (Eurostat) during the methodological visits;- the Commission (Eurostat) may make on-site inspections and be permitted to hold interviews with any organisation it deems relevant to its work.
- 2010/06/30 Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading
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2010/06/28
Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
- #3020
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2010/06/08
Council Meeting
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3020
summary
The Council agreed on a general approach on a draft regulation aimed at strengthening the rules on statistical data used under the EU's excessive deficit procedure doc. 10728/10.The aim is to allow the Commission and the Member States to work together more effectively on improving the quality and reliability of statistical data used to determine government deficit anddebt figures.The regulation will be adopted at a forthcoming Council meeting, once the European Parliament has submitted its opinion.
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3020
summary
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2010/03/11
Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
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2010/02/15
Legislative proposal published
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COM(2010)0053
summary
PURPOSE: to supplement the existing governance framework relating to fiscal statistics.PROPOSED ACT: Council Regulation.BACKGROUND: the credibility of budgetary surveillance crucially hinges upon reliable budgetary statistics. It is of the utmost importance that data reported by Member States under Regulation (EC) No 479/2009 on the application of the Protocol on the excessive deficit procedure (EDP) annexed to the Treaty establishing the European Community are of high quality.The European Union governance framework for fiscal statistics has been further developed and institutional setting updated over the past years, notably with a view to improving the monitoring of the government accounts by the Commission (Eurostat).Recent developments and, in particular, the Greek government deficit and debt statistics notified in October 2009, have revealed and made these limitations more acute and have demonstrated that the current system for fiscal statistics does not mitigate, to the extent necessary, the risk of, for instance, incorrect or inaccurate data being notified to the Commission.It is at this stage both appropriate and policy-consistent to propose certain modifications of the governance framework for fiscal statistics.CONTENT: the purpose of the amended regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 479/2009 is to allow the Commission and Member States to work more effectively together in improving the quality and reliability of government finance statistics, based on a two-pillar approach: more frequent and comprehensive regular statistical visits in the context of the standard EDP procedure; additional methodological visits conducted by Eurostat where a risk-based assessment identifies specific and significant problems.To tackle the existing weaknesses, the Commission, therefore, deems it necessary to propose supplementing the existing rules in order to strengthen data monitoring mechanisms. However, the methodological visits will only be undertaken in cases where substantial risks or potential problems with the quality of the data are identified, as it is also currently the case pursuant to existing legal framework.Insofar as Eurostat, as a statistical authority, must be able to actually verify the figures provided, there is a need to supplement the current framework in several regards. In particular, there is a need for the recognition of the right for Eurostat to directly examine public accounts where there are substantial doubts about the reliability of the statistical data submitted by a national statistical authority – together with the corresponding obligation of national authorities to keep and make available all of the relevant sources of information;furthermore, there is a need for Member States to ensure the assistance of experts in national accounting, including for the preparation and undertaking of the methodological visits.
- DG {'url': 'http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/eurostat/home', 'title': 'Eurostat'}, REHN Olli
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COM(2010)0053
summary
Documents
- Legislative proposal published: COM(2010)0053
- Debate in Council: 3020
- Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading: A7-0220/2010
- Results of vote in Parliament: Results of vote in Parliament
- Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T7-0253/2010
- : Regulation 2010/679
- : OJ L 198 30.07.2010, p. 0001
| Amendments | Dossier |
| 25 |
2010/0035(NLE)
2010/06/09
ECON
25 amendments...
Amendment 10 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act Recital 3 (3)
Amendment 11 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act Recital 4 (4) However, recent developments in the Union have also clearly demonstrated that the current governance framework for fiscal statistics still does not mitigate, to the extent
Amendment 12 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act Recital 4 a (new) (4a) The reliability of statistics made available by the Commission (Eurostat) at Union level directly depends on the reliability of statistical data collected by Member States at national level.
Amendment 13 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act Recital 4 b (new) (4b) Ensuring institutional independence of all national statutory statistical bodies is crucial to avoid any undue pressure on them from their respective governments.
Amendment 14 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act Recital 5 (5) In this connection, the Commission (Eurostat) should have additional rights of access to a widened scope of information for the needs of data quality assessment. It is essential that the data received from the Member States is shared in due time with the European Central Bank's Directorate General for Statistics.
Amendment 15 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act Recital 5 a (new) (5a) The comparability of economic data requires a uniform methodology. The Commission should therefore promote the harmonisation of statistical data collection.
Amendment 16 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act Recital 6 (6) In carrying out monitoring visits to a Member State whose statistical information is under scrutiny the Commission (Eurostat) should be entitled to have access to the accounts of government entities at central, state, local and social security levels, including the provision of underlying detailed accounting information, relevant statistical surveys and questionnaires and further related information, including off-balance sheet transactions, respecting the legislation on data protection as well as statistical confidentiality.
Amendment 17 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act Recital 6 a (new) (6a) In order for Eurostat to be able to responsibly fulfil its extended supervisory duties, it requires an increase in staffing levels in the relevant departments from the present number of just 15 to 45 qualified employees. This additional outlay for staff and costs should be covered by budget and staff transfers within the Commission.
Amendment 18 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act Recital 7 (7) Public accounts of individual general government units, as well as of public units classified outside general government sector, should be the main object of the controls, and the public accounts should be assessed in terms of their statistical use. Both mid-term analysis and multiannual frameworks should be used to assist budgetary evaluation.
Amendment 19 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act Recital 8 a (new) (8a) The Member States should provide the Commission (Eurostat) with all statistical and budgetary information on the basis of a standardised and internationally accepted method of accounting.
Amendment 20 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act Recital 8 a (new) (8a) The Commission should consider elaborating sanctions within the framework of the Stability and Growth Pact in relation to the submission of misrepresented macro-economic statistics by Member States. The Commission should consider enforcing such sanctions against Member States that falsify the macroeconomic statistics relating to their budget deficit and government debt.
Amendment 21 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act Article 1 – point 2 Regulation (EC) No 479/2009 Article 8 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 2. Member States shall as promptly as possible provide the Commission (Eurostat) with access to all the statistical and budgetary information requested for the needs of the data quality assessment
Amendment 22 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act Article 1 – point 2 Regulation (EC) No 479/2009 Article 8 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 2. Member States shall as promptly as possible provide the Commission (Eurostat) with access to all the information requested for the needs of the data quality assessment, including statistical information such as data from national accounts, including references to off-balance sheet transactions, inventories, excessive deficit procedure notification tables, additional questionnaires and clarification related to the notifications.
Amendment 23 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act Article 1 – point 2 Regulation (EC) No 479/2009 Article 8 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 a (new) The European Central Bank may verify the information received, in particular where such information emanates from Member States in the euro area.
Amendment 24 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act Article 1 – point 2 Regulation (EC) No 479/2009 Article 8 – paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Statistical and budgetary information to be provided by Member States to the Commission (Eurostat) shall be based on a standardised and internationally accepted method of accounting agreed with the Commission (Eurostat).
Amendment 25 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act Article 1 – point 3 Regulation (EC) No 479/2009 Article 11 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 3. The methodological visits are designed to monitor the processes including the independence of the national statistical authority from the government and verify the accounts which justify the reported actual data and to draw detailed conclusions as to the quality of reported data, as defined in Article 8(1).
Amendment 26 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act Article 1 – point 3 Regulation (EC) No 479/2009 Article 11 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 3. The methodological visits may be unannounced and are designed to monitor the processes and verify the accounts which justify the reported actual
Amendment 27 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act Article 1 – point 3 Regulation (EC) No 479/2009 Article 11 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2 The methodological visits
Amendment 28 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act Article 1 – point 3 Regulation (EC) No 479/2009 Article 11 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2 The methodological visits shall
Amendment 29 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act Article 1 – point 4 Regulation (EC) No 479/2009 Article 12 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 1. Member States shall, at the request of the Commission (Eurostat), provide the assistance of experts in national accounting, including for the preparation and undertaking of the methodological visits, which may also be unannounced. In the exercise of their duties, these experts shall provide an independent expertise. A list of those experts in national accounting shall be constituted on the basis of proposals sent to the Commission (Eurostat) by the national authorities responsible for the excessive deficit reporting.
Amendment 30 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act Article 1 – point 5 Regulation (EC) No 479/2009 Article 12 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 2. In the framework of the methodological visits, which may also be unannounced, the Commission (Eurostat) shall have the right to access the accounts of all government entities at central, state, local and social security and state pension fund levels, including the provision of underlying detailed accounting information, such as transactions and balance sheets, relevant statistical surveys and questionnaires and
Amendment 31 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act Article 1 – point 5 Regulation (EC) No 479/2009 Article 12 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 a (new) The Commission (Eurostat) may make on-site inspections and be permitted to hold interviews with any organisation it deems relevant to its work.
Amendment 32 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act Article 1 – point 5 Regulation (EC) No 479/2009 Article 12 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2 Member States shall take all necessary measures to facilitate the methodological visits, which may also be unannounced. Those visits may be carried out in national authorities involved in the excessive deficit procedure reporting, as well as in all services directly or indirectly involved in the production of government accounts and debt. Member States shall ensure that those national authorities and
Amendment 8 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act Recital 1 a (new) (1a) The warning issued as far back as 2004 by Eurostat, and the Commission’s initiatives on this subject, which it set out in a communication of 22 December 2004 entitled ‘Towards a European governance strategy for fiscal statistics1’, unfortunately did not lead in the Council to reforms of the governance framework for financial statistics, which were overdue even then, whereas, if timely action had been taken, the errors in reporting the relevant data on public deficit could have been identified much sooner and the resulting crisis could at least have been contained. It is therefore of critical importance that Eurostat should receive an appropriate competence framework, adequate staffing and as much independence as possible. __________ 1 COM(2004)0832.
Amendment 9 #
Proposal for a regulation – amending act Recital 1 b (new) (1b) A European Parliament committee of inquiry should ascertain how the collection and evaluation of financial statistics from Member States was conducted in the past, name the responsible parties and draw the relevant conclusions. The work of this committee of inquiry should be supported by experts from a 'commission of historians'.
source: PE-442.956
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