EN
Official Journal of the European Communities
24.2.2001
L 55/72
GUIDELINE OF THE EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK
of 22 December 1998
concerning the common rules and minimum standards to protect the confidentiality of the individual statistical
information collected by the European Central Bank assisted by the national central banks
(ECB/1998/NP28)
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 (hereinafter
referred to as the ‘Statute’)and in particular to Articles 5, 12.1, 14.3 and 38 thereof,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC)No 2533/98 of 23 November 1998 concerning the collection of statistical
information by the European Central Bank (1)and in particular to Article 8 thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
Article 8(3)of the said Regulation (EC)No 2533/98 provides that the reporting agents shall be informed of the
statistical and other administrative uses to which statistical information provided by them may be put. The said
Article also provides that reporting agents shall have the right to obtain information on the legal basis for the
transmission and the protective measures adopted.
(2)
Article 8(9)of the said Regulation (EC)No 2533/98 requires that the European Central Bank (ECB)and the
national central banks (NCBs)shall take all the necessary regulatory, administrative, technical and organisational
measures to ensure the protection of confidential statistical information. The said Article requires that the ECB
shall define common rules and minimum standards to prevent unlawful disclosure and unauthorised use of
confidential statistical information.
(3)
Internal procedures are in force in the ECB and the NCBs which provide a high level of protection of confidential
statistical information in the ECB and the NCBs. Therefore the purpose of the common rules and minimum
standards required by Article 8(9)of Council Regulation (EC)No 2533/98 can be achieved by setting a basic level
of protection across the European System of