Brussels, 26/03/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 22 March, the European Commission adopted a proposal setting up a common framework for the provision, by EU member states, of statistics on livestock and forecasts of meat production from the various species. These data are essential to allow the Commission to properly manage the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the pig meat, bovine meat, sheep and goat meat, and poultry markets. Under the terms of the proposal, member states will be required to provide statistics on livestock (twice per year on pigs and bovine animals and every year on sheep and goats), monthly statistics on slaughterings (heads and carcass weights of pigs, bovine animals, sheep, goats and poultry, and forecasts on meat production (pig meat, bovine meat sheep and goat meat). The regulation, which has to be adopted by the Council of Ministers, would take effect in member states from 1 January 2008. (lc)