Guideline of the European Central Bank

of 3 February 2006

amending Guideline ECB/2005/5 on the statistical reporting requirements of the European Central Bank and the procedures for exchanging statistical information within the European System of Central Banks in the field of government finance statistics

(ECB/2006/2)

(2006/87/EC)

THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK,

Having regard to the Statute of the European System of Central Banks and of the European Central Bank, and in particular Article 5.1 and 5.2, Article 12.1 and Article 14.3 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Article 1 of Council Regulation (EC) No 2103/2005 of 12 December 2005 amending Regulation (EC) No 3605/93 as regards the quality of statistical data in the context of the excessive deficit procedure [1] inter alia revises the deadlines for reporting data in the context of the EDP to ensure their consistency with the deadlines of the European System of Accounts 95 (ESA 95) [2] transmission programme. As a result of this revision, from 2006 Member States will be obliged to report data in the context of the EDP before 1 April and 1 October of each year.

(2) The Eurosystem’s requirements under Guideline ECB/2005/5 of 17 February 2005 on the statistical reporting requirements of the European Central Bank and the procedures for exchanging statistical information within the European System of Central Banks in the field of government finance statistics [3], should be based, for reasons of consistency, on ESA 95 statistical standards as far as possible. The deadlines in Article 4 of Guideline ECB/2005/5 for the biannual reporting of complete data sets by national central banks (NCBs) to the European Central Bank (ECB) therefore need to be revised.

(3) In accordance with Article 12.1 and Article 14.3 of the Statute, ECB guidelines form an integral part of Community law,

HAS ADOPTED THIS GUIDELINE:

Article 1

Guideline ECB/2005/5 is amended as follows:

1. Article 4(1) is replaced by the following:

"1. The NCBs shall report complete data sets twice a year, before 15 April and before 15 October.";

2. Annex IV is amended as follows:

the word "September" under the heading "First date of transmission" in the right column of the two tables entitled "Current data" and "Back data" is replaced with the word "October".

Article 2

This Guideline shall enter into force two days after its adoption.

Article 3

This Guideline is addressed to the NCBs of the Member States that have adopted the euro.

Done at Frankfurt am Main, 3 February 2006.

For the Governing Council of the ECB

The President of the ECB

Jean-Claude Trichet

[1] OJ L 337, 22.12.2005, p. 1.

[2] Council Regulation (EC) No 2223/96 of 25 June 1996 on the European system of national and regional accounts in the Community, OJ L 310, 30.11.1996, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1267/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 180, 18.7.2003, p. 1).

[3] OJ L 109, 29.4.2005, p. 81.

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