Considerations on COM(2013)247 - Amendment of Regulation (EU) No 691/2011 on European environmental economic accounts

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dossier COM(2013)247 - Amendment of Regulation (EU) No 691/2011 on European environmental economic accounts.
document COM(2013)247 EN
date April 16, 2014
 
table>(1)Decision No 1386/2013/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (2) provides that the pace of current developments and uncertainties surrounding likely future trends require further steps to ensure that policy in the Union continues to draw on a sound understanding of the state of the environment, of possible response options and their consequences. Instruments should be developed with a view to ensuring the preparation of quality-assured data and indicators and to improving its accessibility. It is important that such data be made available in a comprehensible and accessible form.
(2)Under Article 10 of Regulation (EU) No 691/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council (3) the Commission is invited to report to the European Parliament and the Council on the implementation of the Regulation and, if appropriate, to propose the introduction of new environmental economic accounts modules, such as Environmental Protection Expenditure and Revenues (EPER)/Environmental Protection Expenditure Accounts (EPEA), Environmental Goods and Services Sector (EGSS) and Energy Accounts.

(3)The new modules contribute directly to the Union's policy priorities of green growth and resource efficiency by providing important information on indicators such as market output and employment in the EGSS, national environmental protection expenditure and the use of energy in a NACE breakdown.

(4)The United Nations Statistical Commission adopted the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) Central Framework as an international statistical standard at its 43rd session in February 2012. The new modules being introduced by this Regulation are fully in line with the SEEA.

(5)The European Statistical System Committee has been consulted.

(6)In order to take into account technical and scientific progress and supplement the provisions on energy accounts, the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union should be delegated to the Commission in respect of the specification of the list of energy products referred to in Section 3 of Annex VI as contained in the Annex to this Regulation. It is of particular importance that the Commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level. The Commission, when preparing and drawing up delegated acts, should ensure a simultaneous, timely and appropriate transmission of relevant documents to the European Parliament and to the Council.

(7)In order to facilitate a uniform application of Annex V as contained in the Annex to this Regulation, implementing powers should be conferred on the Commission. Those powers should be exercised in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council (4). The examination procedure should be used for the adoption of those implementing acts.

(8)Regulation (EU) No 691/2011 should therefore be amended accordingly,