12.3.83 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 67/1 (Acts whosc publication is not obligatory) COUNCIL COUNCIL DECISION ot 28 February 1983 concluding the Protocol for the protcction of the Mediterranean Sea against pollution from land-based sources (83/101/EEC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITII S, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 235 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commissicn (1), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (2), Whereas having regard to the declaration of the Council of the European Communities and of the reprc;enta- tives of the Governments of the Member States m :eting in the Council of 22 November 1973 on the progr imme of action of the European Communities on the envi- ronment (3); Whereas that programme lays stress inter alia on the fact that marine pollution affects the -whole Community, both because of the essential role ylayed by the sea in the preservation and development of species and on account of the importance of sea transport for the harmonious economic developm«nt of the Community; Whereas, furthermore, that programme and Ccuncil Directive 76/464/EEC of 4 May 1976 on poliution caused by certain dangerous substances discharged into (1) O] No C 4, 8. 1. 1982, p. 3. (2) OJ No C 334, 20. 12. 1982, p. 136. (3) OJ No C 112, 20. 12. 1973, p. 1. the aquatic environment of the Community (*) yrovide that certain measures are to be implemented >y the Community in order to reduce the various types of marine pollution ; Whereas the Convention on the protection of the Mediterranean Sea against pollution provides, in particular, that suitable measures should be adopted to prevent and reduce pollution caused by dumping from ships and aircraft, pollution resulting froin the exploration and exploitation of the continental shelf, the sea-bed and its sub-soil and pollution from land-based sources; Whereas, in adopting Decision 77/58S/EEC (%), the Council approved the Convention for the proteciion of the Mediterranean Sea against pollution, and the Protocol for the prevention of the pollution of the Mediterranean Sea by dumping from ships and ai:craft ; Whereas the Community took part in the negotiations concerning the conclusion of the Convention Protocol for the protection of the Mediterranean Sea :gainst pollution from land-based sources ; Whereas on 17 May 1980 the Community signed the said Protocol ; Whereas, in order to attain, in the course of the operation of the common market, one of the objzctives of the Community in the field of the protection of the (4) OJ No L 129, 18. 5. 1976, p. 23. (5) OJ No L 240, 19. 9. 1977, p. 1.