Regulation (EC) No 596/2009 of the European Parliament and of the CouncilShow full title

3.2. Council Regulation (EC) No 577/98 of 9 March 1998 on the organisation of a labour force sample survey in the Community (1) U.K.

As regards Regulation (EC) No 577/98, the Commission should be empowered in particular to adopt additional variables, to adapt the definitions, the edits to be used and the codification of the variables, and to draw up the list of structural variables, the minimum sample size and the survey frequency. Since those measures are of general scope and are designed to amend non-essential elements of Regulation (EC) No 577/98, inter alia, by supplementing it with new non-essential elements, they must be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny provided for in Article 5a of Decision 1999/468/EC.

Accordingly, Regulation (EC) No 577/98 is hereby amended as follows:

1.

in the third indent of the fifth paragraph of Article 1, the words ‘in Article 8’ shall be replaced by the words ‘in Article 8(2)’;

2.

paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 of Article 4 shall be replaced by the following:

‘2. A further set of variables, hereinafter referred to as an “ad hoc module”, may be added to supplement the information described in paragraph 1.

Each year a programme of ad hoc modules covering several years shall be adopted by the Commission.

That programme shall specify, for each ad hoc module, the subject, the reference period, the sample size (equal to or less than the sample size determined according to Article 3) and the deadline for the transmission of the results (which may be different from the deadline according to Article 6).

The Member States and regions covered and the detailed list of information to be collected in an ad hoc module shall be drawn up at least 12 months before the beginning of the reference period for that module.

The volume of an ad hoc module shall not exceed 11 variables.

Those measures, designed to amend non-essential elements of this Regulation by supplementing it, shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article 8(3).

3. The definitions, the edits to be used, the codification of the variables, the adjustment of the list of survey variables made necessary by the evolution of techniques and concepts, and a list of principles for the formulation of the questions concerning the labour status shall be drawn up by the Commission. Those measures, designed to amend non-essential elements of this Regulation, inter alia, by supplementing it, shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article 8(3).

4. On a proposal from the Commission, a list of variables, hereinafter referred to as “structural variables”, may be identified from among the survey characteristics specified in paragraph 1 which need to be surveyed only as annual averages with reference to 52 weeks rather than as quarterly averages. That list of structural variables, the minimum sample size and the survey frequency shall be drawn up by the Commission. Those measures, designed to amend non-essential elements of this Regulation by supplementing it, shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article 8(3). Spain, Finland and the United Kingdom may survey the structural variables with reference to a single quarter during a transition period until the end of 2007.’;

3.

Article 8 shall be replaced by the following:

‘Article 8 Committee procedure

1. The Commission shall be assisted by the Statistical Programme Committee established by Council Decision 89/382/EEC, Euratom(2).

2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 5 and 7 of Council Decision 1999/468/EC(3) shall apply, having regard to the provisions of Article 8 thereof.

The period laid down in Article 5(6) of Decision 1999/468/EC shall be set at three months.

3. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Article 5a(1) to (4) and Article 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the provisions of Article 8 thereof.’.

(1)

OJ L 77, 14.3.1998, p. 3.

(2)

OJ L 181, 28.6.1989, p. 47.

(3)

OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23.’.