Common framework for business registers for statistical purposes

 The committee adopted the report by Hans-Peter MARTIN (NI, AT) broadly approving the proposed regulation establishing a common framework for business registers for statistical purposes and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2186/93. It adopted a number of mainly technical amendments under the 1st reading of the codecision procedure. These sought to:

- tighten up the text and provide legal clarification at certain points, including precise definitions;

- clarify the terms and conditions under which confidential data can be transmitted, including access by the European Central Bank and national central banks to confidential data on multinational enterprise groups;

- grant a longer transitional period than originally proposed (5 years rather than 3 years) to allow national statistics institutes to adapt their systems to include agriculture and enterprise groups in business registers;

- amend the annex so as to distinguish between items marked as "optional", which are recommended for inclusion, and items marked as "conditional", which are compulsory, where the information is available in the Member State.

Lastly, the committee introduced a new clause requiring the Commission to report to Parliament and Council on the implementation of the regulation, addressing in particular the cost for the statistical system, the burden on business and the benefits.