Fiscal statistics: governance and quality of statistical data in the context of the excessive deficit procedure (amend. Regulation (EC) No 3605/93)

 The committee adopted the report by Jean-Paul GAUZÈS (EPP-ED, FR) broadly approving the proposal under the consultation procedure, subject to a few amendments:

- in-depth monitoring visits (which can take up a lot of time and money) should be reserved for cases in which Eurostat has grave doubts "as to the accuracy or consistency of the data submitted" by a MemberState. These missions should not include private experts, but only members of Eurostat and officials from national institutions. Experts from other Commission departments would only be able to take part in these missions following an agreement between the Member States concerned and Eurostat;

- the timetable for the dialogue visits should be decided jointly by the MemberStates and Eurostat. If possible they should take place simultaneously in all Member States;

- it should be clearly specified that Eurostat has the principal role amongst the Community authorities for monitoring the quality of statistical data;

- in line with the principle of transparency, Parliament should be regularly informed of what is going on.