European business statistics

Briefing 27-09-2017

This note seeks to provide an initial analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the European Commission's Impact Assessment (IA) accompanying the above proposal submitted on 6 March 2017 and referred to Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research, and Energy (ITRE). The proposal aims to reduce the administrative burden for business, in particular SMEs, by eliminating the fragmentation of the European business statistics legislation and repealing 10 different legal acts in this field. This concerns information on the producer prices, turnover, employment, production output, as well as trade, investment flows and prices. The proposal is also considered by the Commission as a priority area in the context of the modernisation of EU law. According to the Commission, the harmonisation of business statistics at the European level is needed in order to implement wider priorities such as the 10 priorities of the Juncker Commission. In this regard, the Commission proposes to establish a common legal framework for the development, production, and dissemination of European business statistics.