Legislative Observatory
European Parliament
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Harmonisation of gross national income (GNI) at market prices

2017/0134(COD)

The European Parliament adopted by 567 votes to 45, with 37 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the harmonisation of gross national income at market prices (GNI Regulation) repealing Council Directive 89/130/EEC, Euratom and Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1287/2003.

To recap, the proposed Regulation, repealing Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1287/2003 (the "GNI Regulation"), provides that gross national income at market prices (GNI) and gross domestic product at market prices (GDP) are defined in accordance with the European System of National and Regional Accounts (ESA 2010), established by Regulation (EU) No 549/2013.

The position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure has amended the Commission proposal as follows:

The amended text insists on the fact that gross national income at market prices (GNI) is the basis for calculating the largest share of own resources in the Union's general budget. Therefore, GNI data have to be reliable, exhaustive and comparable.

To ensure that GNI data are exhaustive, informal, unregistered and other activities and transactions that are not reported in statistical surveys, or to fiscal, social or other administrative authorities should also be taken into account.

For GNI verification purposes, the Commission (Eurostat) should be entitled to carry out GNI information visits in order to verify the quality of GNI aggregates and their components and to verify compliance with ESA 2010, as well as to ensure that GNI data are comparable, reliable and exhaustive.

The Commission should adopt:

- delegated acts for a period of five years (renewable) defining the list of issues to be addressed in every verification cycle in order to ensure the reliability, exhaustiveness and highest possible degree of comparability of GNI data, in line with ESA 2010;

- specific implementing measures to make GNI data more comparable, reliable and exhaustive, based on the list of issues defined by the Commission in the delegated acts.