22. 7. 80 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 188/11 COMMISSION DECISION of 25 June 1980 setting up an Advisory Committee on the control and reduction of pollution caused by hydrocarbons discharged at sea (80/686/EEC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, Whereas, at its meetings in Copenhagen on 7 and 8 April 1978, in Bremen on 6 and 7 July 1978 and in Luxembourg on 27 and 28 April 1980, the European Council took the view that preventing and combating marine pollution, in particular by hydrocarbons, should be one of the major objectives of action by the Community ; Whereas the European Communities’ 1973 environ- ment action programme (!), supplemented by that of 1977 (), stressed that it was of paramount importance to western Europe that effective action be taken against the dangers inherent in the carriage of hydro- carbons, including the threat of serious coastal pollu- tion as a result of accidents on the high seas, and specified that the protection of sea water in order to ensure the maintenance of ecological balances was a priority task ; Whereas on 26 June 1978 the Council adopted a reso- lution setting up an action programme of the Euro- pean Communities on the control and reduction of pollution caused by hydrocarbons discharged at sea (3); Whereas the Commission needs to seek advice from highly qualified experts in the Member States concerning  pollution caused by hydrocarbons discharged at sea; Whereas the Community also needs to have a forum where experts can meet for the purpose of collecting existing information and experience gained in Member States, thus facilitating the coordination of measures taken or planned at national, international or Community level, ) OJ No C 112, 20. 12. 1973, p. 1. ) O] No C 139, 13. 6. 1977, p. 1. ) OJ N ) o C 162, 8. 7. 1978, p. 1. (l (Z ( HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: Article 1 The Commission hereby sets up an Advisory Committee on the control and reduction of pollution caused by hydrocarbons discharged at sea, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Committee’. Article 2 The terms of reference of the Committee shall be as follows : 1. to advise the Commission, at the request of the latter or on its own initiative, on all problems concerning the implementation of Community measures for the control and reduction of pollution caused by hydrocarbons discharged at sea; 2. to allow the collection of existing information and experience gained in the Member States, on ways of controlling and reducing pollution caused by hydrocarbons discharged at sea, thus facilitating the coordination of measures taken or planned at national, international or Community level. Article 3 1. The Committee shall consist of government experts with specialist knowledge of the areas referred to in Article 2 (three representatives per Member State). 2. Committee members shall be chosen by the Commission on the basis of nominations by the Member States. 3. Representatives of the departments of the Commission concerned shall take part in the meet- ings of the Committee. Article 4 An alternate shall be appointed by each Committee member. Without prejudice to Article 9, an alternate shall attend Committee meetings and take part in the work of the Committee only if the full member in question is prevented from attending.