European system of national and regional accounts in the European Community (ESA 95)

In adopting the report by Mrs Helena TORRES MARQUES (PSE, P), Parliament approved the proposal for certain amendments relating mainly to the following: - greater emphasis on transparency (data obtained by the Commission, with the exception of confidential information, should be accessible to each citizen of the EU who requests it); - the ending of additional time periods for the transfer of data by Member States beyond 1 January 1995; - measures designed to prevent normal rules of confidentiality from standing in the way of the objectives of comparability and compatibility of statistical data for the 1995 European system of accounts (ESA); - the provision of information to Parliament on the impact of introducing the new ESA in each Member State; this information should be available before 01.01.2000; - assessment of the operation of the 1995 ESA in 1999, to be followed by possible proposals for amendment from the Commission before 01.01.2000. �