Statistics relating to the trading of goods between Member States

1) OBJECTIVE

To establish a system for collecting the data required for compiling statistics on the trading of goods between Member States which relies directly on the consigners and consignees of goods and no longer involves checks at the internal frontiers.

2) COMMUNITY MEASURES

Council Regulation (EEC) No 3330/91 of 7 November 1991 on the statistics relating to the trading of goods between Member States.

Amended by the following measures:

European Parliament and Council Regulation (EC) No 1182/99 of 10 May 1999;

Council Regulation (EC) No 1624/2000 of 10 July 2000.

3) CONTENTS

Regulation (EEC) No 3330/91

This Regulation is to apply during the transitional period from 1 January 1993 until the change-over to a unified system of taxation in the Member State of origin.

Definitions of the concepts of "trading of goods between Member States", "goods", "Community goods", "non-Community goods", "statistical territory of a Member State", "goods in free movement on the internal market of the Community", etc.

Definitions of the general scope of statistics on the trading of goods between Member States and of the general scope of each type of statistics (transit, storage, trade) in relation to the others.

Provisions relating to exemption from statistical obligations.

Provisions relating to a statistical collection system (Intrastat). Conditions under which this system applies in the Member States, and to particular goods and statistics. The collection of data relating to goods to which the Intrastat system does not apply will be laid down by the Commission.

Provisions relating to the party responsible for providing the information required by the Intrastat system. General definition of that party and conditions for transferring the task of providing the information.

Provisions relating to the compilation and updating in the Member States of registers of intra-Community operators for the Intrastat system by the departments in the Member States which are responsible for compiling statistics on the trading of goods between Member States.

Provisions relating to the assistance to be given by the tax authorities in a Member State to the departments responsible in that Member State for compiling statistics on the trading of goods between Member States.

Series of provisions under the Intrastat system concerning the statistical data media, the transmission of data by the parties responsible to the relevant national departments by means of periodical declarations, the responsibilities of the Member States as regards penalties, the periodic surveys to be organized by the Commission and the Commission's report to the European Parliament and the Council on the functioning of the Intrastat system.

Amongst the statistics relating to the trading of goods, priority has been given to regulating statistics on trade between Member States. Definitions of the subject matter of these statistics, of the Member States of dispatch and arrival, and of the application of the Intrastat system to these statistics. Provisions relating to the classification of goods, i.e. the Combined Nomenclature, and of countries. Fixing of the list of data items to be recorded in the statistical declaration and definitions of those items. Provisions relating to the compilation of such statistics, the transmission of data by Member States, confidential data and possible simplification of the statistical information.

Definitions of the various statistical thresholds (exclusion, assimilation and simplification thresholds) allowing reliable results to be obtained despite a considerable reduction in the burden on those responsible for supplying statistical information; the main rules of application to be followed by the Member States and the responsibilities of the Commission, particularly with regard to fixing the quality criteria to be met by the results compiled by the Member States.

Establishment of a Management Committee on the Statistics Relating to the Trading of Goods between Member States, comprising Member States' representatives and chaired by a Commission representative.

Final provisions relating to transit and storage statistics, to the conditions governing the confidential nature of statistical data and special movements of goods. Furthermore, the Commission will be responsible for simplified procedures and will promote the use of automatic processing and electronic data transmission.

In order to take account of their individual administrative arrangements, Member States may establish simplified procedures differing from those laid down by the Commission, provided that those responsible for providing information are free to choose which procedures they will use. Member States exercising this option shall inform the Commission accordingly.

Regulation (EC) No 1182/99

This Regulation reduces the data to be provided by the Member States.

Regulation (EC) No 1624/2000

This Regulation simplifies the application of the Combined Nomenclature used for intra-Community and external trade.

Last updated: 22.10.2001