Explanatory Memorandum to COM(1977)372 -

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dossier COM(1977)372 - .
source COM(1977)372 EN
date 26-07-1977
ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES DE LA COMMISSION

COLLECTION RELIEE DES DOCUMENTS 'COM'

Contents

1.

COM (77)372


Vol. 1977/0123

Disclaimer

Conformement au reglement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du ler fevrier 1983 concernant I’ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communaute economique europeenne et de la Communaute europeenne de I’energie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983, p.

1), tel que modifie par le reglement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003 (JO L 243 du 27.9.2003, p.

1), ce dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas echeant, les documents classifies presents dans ce dossier ont ete declassifies conformement a I’article 5 dudit reglement.

In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983 concerning the opening to the public of the historical archives of the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p.

1), as amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243, 27.9.2003, p.

1), this file is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation.

In Obereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom 1. Februar 1983 uber die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europaischen Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europaischen Atomgemeinschaft (ABI. L 43 vom 15.2.1983, S.

1), geandert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. September 2003 (ABI. L 243 vom 27.9.2003, S.

1), ist diese Datei der Offentlichkeit zuganglich. Soweit erforderlich, wurden die Verschlusssachen in dieser Datei in Obereinstimmung mit Artikel 5 der genannten Verordnung freigegeben.
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

, , C0M(77) 372 final.

2.

Brussels, 26 July 1977


• * . 1 '

3.

Proposal for a Council regulation relating to the organisation of a survey on the structure of agricultural holdings in 1979


(submitted to the Council by the Commission)

CQH(77) 372 final.

■ EXPLANATORY HEMOR AITtUR?

4.

Tho Commission is submitting a proposal for a Regulation on tho organization of


a survey on the structure of agricultural ho?dings. .

5.

. ' *


This survey is a sequel to the 'basic survey prescribed 'by Regulation n° 7o/66/IETIIG

, as amended "by Regulation n° 35/67/EEC (2), to the general censxis of agriculture recommended "by the PAO and prescribed by Directive n° 69/40C/EEC (3)'

to the structure survey for 19713 prescribed by Directive n° 75/10?>/KiRG (4) and to the structure survey for 1977 prescribed by Regulation (EEC) n° 3228/76 (5)'

The present proposal provides for the continuation of the collection of data on the structure of agricultural holdings throughout tho Community, in order to satisfy the requirements of the common agricultural policy. The proposed survey will permit the data already obtained in the course of the four previous sur-veya, to be updated, comparable data to be collected throughout the Member states ond basic data for research on the structure of agricultural holdings to be provided. ■ ■

In order to safeguard the comparability of the figures, tho definitions used for the 1977 structures survey are in principle to be retained for the present survey, while however allowing the possibility of certain adaptations to the definitions for the specific needs of tho 1979 survey.

The proposal for a Regulation contained'in this document is based on the acknowledged'Interest of providing high quality information periodically on troncla in agricultural structures, which is, moreover, one of the main conditions for the success of the measures agrec-d at Community level. ■

The development of tho measures at regional level, particularly those envisaged for mountain and hill farming and certain less-favoured areas, makes it all the raoro necessary to coll ext data at regional or area level.

fl) OJ n° 112 of 24 Juvo 1966, p. 2065/06

OJ n° 33 of 24 February 1967, P- 5U/CI

OJ n° L280 of 17 November 1969, p^l

(4) OJ n° L 42 of 15 February 1975, P-21.

OJ n° L366 of 31 December 1976, p.l.

6.

In design and execution, this survey is similar to the 1969 general agricultural census; at the same time, however, it permits comparison with the


results of the structures survey for 1975 and. 1977* which were the first

% .

surveys to provide comparable information for the nine Member states* It is based on the decennial surveys recommended by FAO already carried out in the Member states and provides a Community schedule of tables for the purposes of analysis of the data at. Community level. This survey basically oovers the following characteristics : type of tenure, land use, livestock, machinery and equipment, and farm labour force* '

7.

Provision is made for applying on the oocasion of this survey the community . classification of agricultural holdings currently being developed by the Commission's services and the Member states*


Proposal for a Counoil Regulation

on the organization of a survey on the structure of agricultural holdings

for 1979% > .

THE COUNCIL OP THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, •

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the- European Economio Community, and • in particular Article 43 thereof, .

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, (l),

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (2),

Whereas the Member states are preparing to oarry out a survey as part of the next ten-yearly world agricultural survey recommended by the FAO and to be .conduoted • 'sometime around 1980; • • "

8.

Whereas the results of this survey may be used for Community purposes if the reference period, the soope and the definitions are harmonised as part of a Community programme|


Whereas the structural trends of agricultural holdings are an important factor in determining the oourse to be followed by the common agricultural policy; whereas the series of surveys on the structure of holdings, the latest of which was provided in Council Regulation (EEC) No 3228/76 (3), should be continued;

Whereas in order correctly to assess the technical and economic operation of the holdings the agricultural area utilized for farming should, in the case of combined orops, be divided among the latter in proportion to the amount of land which these actually take up; whereas the experiments required for this purpose were carried out in the Member states conoerned during the 1977 survey on the structure of agricultural holdings (3);

0 J N° ..........

0 J F ..........

0 J N° L366, 3I.I2.I976, p.l

Whereas in order to facilitate the implementation of the envisaged provisions i

there should he close cooperation between the Member States and the Commission, •

9.

in particular within the Standing Committee for Agricultural Statistics set up


by Decision 72/279/EEC (l)? ;

% <

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION i .

10.

Article 1


Member states shall, between 1 May 1979 and 15 June 1980, in accordance with the FAO recommandation for a world agricultural survey, carry out a survey (hereinafter referred to as to 'the survey') on the structure of the agricultural holdings in their territories covering the crop year corresponding to a crop harvested in 1979*

11.

Article 2


1* For the purposes of this Regulation :

(a) "agricultural holding" shall mean a single unit, both technically and economically, which has a single management and the output of which is

. agricultural produots; .

(b) "agricultural area utilized for farming" shall mean the total area taken

up by arable land, permanent pasture and meadow, land used for permanent orops and kitchen gardens* '

- - * " .

2* The survey shall cover t

(a) agricultural holdings where the agricultural area utilized for farming is one hectare or more, *

0 J N° L i79, 7.8.1972, p.l

(b) agricultural holdings where the agricultural area utilized for farming . is less than one heotare, if they market a oertain proportion of their products or if their standard gross production exceeds certain physical units.

12.

Article 3


1. In the oase of combined crops, the agricultural area utilized for farming shall be allocated between the’various crops surveyed in such a way that the area actually devoted to each one in known.

2. The agricultural area utilized for secondary successive crops shall be recorded separately from the agricultural area utilized for farming.

13.

. Article 4 -


Member states shall include in their national questionnaires all necessary questions to obtain the information relating to the characteristics ’

listed in the Annex.

14.

Article 5


The definitions of the characteristics referred to in Article 4 of the regions and districts referred to in Artiole 8 shall be determined in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 12* " -

15.

Article 6 ’


The survey shall be carried out as a general survey of a random sample survey. Member states may use these two forms of inquiry for different parts of the list of characteristics. In particular, the characteristics of Section M shall . be recorded only in respect of holdings where the holder or at least one of the members of his family engaged in agricultural work for the holding has another gainful activity and this only within a random sample of 10$ of the holdings.

16.

The results obtained by random sampling shall be extrapolated


Member states shall set out the results of the survey in the form of a schedule of tables drawn up in accordance with a Community outline. This outline shall be drawn up in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 12*

Article 8’ '

/ ’

1. Member states Bhall draw up the tables of the Community schedule of tables at national, regional and district levels* ,

17.

When the Community outline of tables is drawn up the Commission may decide that certain tables are not applicable in certain Member States at district level*


2* With the exception of the Netherlands, the results shall be broken down by '

18.

less-favoured agricultural areas, within the meaning of Article 3 of Directive


75/268/EEC (1) or by groups of such areas and broken down by other agricultural • • • areas or by groups of such areas* The Commission shall lay down, in agreement

19.

with the Member states oonoered, the groupings of less-favoured agricultural


areas on the one hand and other agricultural areas on the other*

Article 9 .

# t ‘

20.

Member states shall i


(a) transcribe the results referred to in Artiole 8 on to magnetio tape using a

standard programme for all Member states* The method of transcription and the standard programme shall be drawn up in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 12; N

(b) submit the magnetic tapeB referred to in (a) to the Statistical Offioe of

the European Communities* They shall be submitted within 18 months of com- -pletion of the field work*

0 J F L 128, 19*5.1975, P.l

21.

Article 10


The information referred to in Article 8 shallbe communicated to the Statistical Office of the European Communities in such a form that the holdings concerned cannot he identified# T

22.

Article 11


In cooperation with the Member States, the Commission shall publish the Cor'-munity sohedule of tables. - .

23.

Article 12


24.

1. Where the procedure laid down in this Article is invoked, the matter shall


be referred to the Standing Committee for Agricultural Statistics set up by Decision 72/279/EEC (hereinafter referred to as 'the Committee') by its ohairman, either on his own initiative or at the request of the representative of a Member State. ■

25.

2. The Commission representative shall submit to the Committee a draft of the


measures to be taken . The Committee shall give its opinion on that draft within a time limit set by the chairman having regard to the urgency of the matter. Opinions shall be delivered by a majority of 41 votes, the votes of the Member states being weighted as provided in Article 148 (2) of the Treatyi The chairman shall not vote. . -

3. The Commission shall adopt measures which shall take immediate effect. However, if these measures are not in accordance with the Committee's opinion, . the Commission shall submit them forthwith to.the Council? in this case, the Commission may defer application of the measures it has adopted for not more than one month from the date of their submission to the Council.

The Council, acting by a qualified majority, may take a different decision within one month. , .

26.

Article 13


1* Member States shall submit to the Commission as necessary all information which the latter may require of them in order to achieving the tasks referred to in this Regulation.

2. The information collected by the Member States under the survey referred to in this Regulation shall be available in the Member States at district level and shall remain so, as far as is technically possible, until the next general survey carried out under the PAO or at Community level.

3. Further tables may be added to the schedule referred to in Article 7 in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 12.

4* Is the Commission undertakes further studies, Member States shall as far as possible supply the information required in close collaboration with the other Member States and the Commission, particular attention being paid to the need to guarantee statistical confidentiality.

27.

Article 14


Member States shall receive a flat-rate contribution to the costs in connection with Section M of the list of characteristics of 1-g- units of account in respect of each of the holdings for which the information referred to in that Section is supplied to the Commission. s

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

28.

For the Council


Done at Brussels,

29.

The Presiden


LIST 0? CHARACTERISTICS

A. Geosrranhj.cal situation of 'the holding

yco/i

no

yes/no

yes/no

yes/no yes/no yes/no yes/no

/<

/■

/.

30.

01 District 02 Handicapped area


.'• '

31.

B. Legal personality and management of the holding


(on the day of the survey) ■ ...... •

01 Is the legal and economic responsibility of the holding assumed by a natural person ?■ . * .

02 If yes, •

is this person (the holder) also the manager 03 Managers' agricultural training • •

> — primary '

/ • * • • j - secondary

- higher - ‘ •

04 Are accounts kept for the holding •

C. Type of tenure (in relation to the holder). .

(on the day of the survey)

Agricultural area utilized : .

01 for owner farming ' ' • .

0 ' ■

02 for tenant farming . '

32.

03 for share farming or other modes


D. Arabic lend (as used for 1977 harvest) ' . hn/arc

Cereals for the production of grain (including seed) : ■

01 Common wheat and spelt • J ....../*...

02 Durum wheat . ...../.'<

03 Rye . • . ■ . ...../.,

04 Barley .

05 Oats - .. '■ *

06 Grain maize • •••.'/•<

07 Rice , •••••/•<

08 Other cereals' * • •••#./..

33.

. ha/cto


09 Dried vegetables (including seed and mixtures of cereals ••••./••.. and dried vegetables) I

10 Potatoes (including early potatoes and sets) .

11 Sugar beet (excluding seeds) . ...../....

12 Forage roots and tubers (excluding'seeds) '

13 Industrial plants (including seeds for herbaceous olea— .

34.

ginous plants; excluding seeds for textile plants, hops, tobacco and other industrial plants) of which : (l)


35.

13a tobacco


13b hops .. # ••'•./...<

13o oilseeds and textile plants . • . '

_, • '

' '

Fresh vegetables, melons, strawberries : ' .

• 14 - outdoor : . . •

(a) open field ’ • . ' . ...../....

(b) market gardening .

15 - under glass . ' . •••••/...<

Flowers and ornamental plants (excluding seedlings):

16 - outdoor ■

17 — under glass • '■

36.

18 Forage plants


18a temporary grass . ’ . ...../. ••

l8b other , ...../...

37.

19 Horticultural seeds and other arable land seeds or plants (excluding cereals, dried vegetables, potatoes


and oleaginous plants) ...../...

• 20 Other arable land crops . . ...../...

' 21 Fallow land ‘

• ' *

■ •

\ * s • •

E. Kitchen gardens . • ha/are

38.

F. Permanent pasture and meadow ha/are


01 Pasture and meadow, excluding rough grazings 02 Hough grazings • .

0. Permanent crona " .•' . ha/arc

01 Fruit and berry plantations ‘ • ...../...

02 Citrus plantations ...../'.<

03 Olive plantations ■

04 Vineyards, of which producing (l) s . ...../...

04a quality wine ' ■ ...../••.

04b ordinary wine . ‘ ' '•••'/..<

04o table grapes ...../..,

* . ’ ' • . . - • • ‘ /

05 Nurseries . . .

06 Other permanent crops ' ' ...../..

07 Permanent crops under glass '••../..

ha/;


39.

H. Other land



are


01 Unutilized agricultural area (agricultural land which is no longer farmed, for economic, social or other reasons and which is not used in the crop rotation system) • •.../<

02 Woodland . • •••'/<

03 Other land (land covered by buildings, farmyards, tracks,

ponds, quarries, infertile land, rock, etc.) ••••'./<

40.

X. Successive cropping,, mushrooms, irrigation, greenhouses ha/are


01 Successive secondary crops _ . ...._. ................. • ,

(exoluding market garden crops and crops under glass) ...../..

02 Mushrooms . . ■ • ..•••/.<

03 Area capable of being irrigated .. , ...../.

Ground area covered by greenhouses in use ’

04 without heating installation • ...../.

05 with heating installation s ...../•

• .

J. Livestock (as of .'. )(datd *to be determined) Head

01 Kquidae - .......

Bovine animals 1 . ' .

02 Under one. year old : •' .......

41.

02a of which females not intended for slaughter as calves (l) ovor one but under two years old


03 Hole animals . '

' .

04 Female animals : . .

’ O^a of v/hich not slaughter animals (l) tv;o years old and over •

42.

05 Hale animals ' 06 Heifers


43.

06a of which not slaughter animals (l)


07 Dairy cows .

. 08 Other cows . '

09 Sheep (all ages) ' #

09a of whioh ewes (l) .

10 Goats (all ages) • .

1 '

. ‘ i ' ,

■ head

Figs i ‘ •

44.

11 Piglets of live weight under 20 kg


12 Breeding sows weighing 50 kg and over '•

13 Other pigs ' ‘

Poultry : • .

. * • *

14 Broilers . - *

45.

15 Laying hens


46.

16 Other poultry (ducks, turkeys, geese, guinea-fowl)


K, Tractors' cultivators, machinery and equipment


47.

01 Four-wheel tractor 02 Cultivators,hosing 03 Combine harvesters 04 Forage-harvesters



s-, track-laying tractors,tool-carriers machines,rotary hoes and motor mowers


C5 Fotato-harvesiers- (totally mechanised)

48.

06 Sugar best-harvesters (totally mechnized) 07 I'd Iking machinery (fixed or movable)


49.

07a of which multiple milking 6tands '



I

vn

I


L. Farm labour force (in the 12 months preceding the day of the survey)

Farm labour forceRexAge groupsFarm vork for holding (2)
m*f.CSJ

H

•

•

•
rO

ITS

C\J
5

1

\r\
ir\

1

1r\
KJ-

vo

1

ir\

IT\
■rt 0

rj £

|f> r; VO
Part time with working hours of:
> 0-.<25$.25-

.*■50$
50-

<‘I5$
V5-,

clCO;'
full

time
of annual time worked by a full-time farm worker
- m-
|tick)(tick) (tick)
01 Holder

02 Spouse carrying out .farm vjork for holding
•;
03a Other members of holders family: male (3)

03b Other members of holders family: 'female (3)

04a Hon family labour regularly employed: male (3)

04b Hon family labour regularly employed: demale (3)

Hon-family work force not regularly employed

05 Halo

06 Female
Farm work for holding as $ of annual time worked by a full-time farm workerAge groups
2425

34
35

44
45

54
• 5564
65 ana

above
>0 - -<-25
25 - < 50
. 50 - <.75•
75 - <100' 1•
100,
Humber of working days‘ *- \

■ '

yes / no

07 Does the holder or his spouse or nny member of his family ongagod in the farm work of i-Jic holding have any other gainful activity

(l) rrom oc'nool-1 caving age

!'<?) Apart from house-work .

3) Table to Vie prepared for each of group neparatoly (03a to 04b)

se.seages groupsGainful faotivity other than the farm w< • of the holding •>rk

- >
m.f.(2)

24
25

34
35

44
45

54
55

64
65

+
Time worked as $ of annual full-time workself-

em

ployed
" 1 .

t ^ & 6*

's ® a
type

(3)
nil.or > negligibleless than

50
50 or more
01 Holder

02 Spouse

03 Other members of holders family (4)
••

•
• ‘• • ■••

(l)-To he completed only for sample holdings (10$ sample) and when the answer to question L/07 is 'yes'. Include all individual entered in headings L/oi} L/02, l/03 '


From•school-1caving age Code a ■ on came holding h ■ outside. .


1 ■ agricultural and forestry

2 ' fishery .

3 ■ tourism and ancillary activities 4 4 • craft industries

5 ” other

(4; Spociiy individually#


(Sxamole


A caravan, site on the holding


a3)

'


1T0TE

*>

■ Proposal for a Council Regulation on the organization of a survey on the structure of agricultural holdings for 1979

50.

Financial effect of the proposal on the budget of the European Communities -


Expenditure arising out of Article 14

The main costs of the survey fall to the Member states in view of their commitment to carry out a major 10 yearly survey as recommended by F.A.O. •

The regulation envisages a flat rate contribution at the rate of iy2 U.A. per supplementary questionnaire completed. The holding?; concerned are thoso within a 10$ sample where cither the holder or his spouse, or a member-of their family working on the holding has a lucrative activity outside the agricultural work of tho holding. The (theoretical) maximum community fin?_n-cial commitment is thus 10$ of all holdings surveyed (i.e. 10$ of c. 5 million holdings) times iy2 U.A. or c. 750,000 U.A. Sinco not all thp cample holdings will have such an external income source the actual, community payment v’ill bo less. No comprehensive figures are available on which to base an exact csti— • mate. However the community financial contribution is unlikely to exceed /,00,000 U.A. . . ' • . . ’