15.4.2003 Official Journal of the European Union L97/11 COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 671/2003 of 10 April 2003 amending Regulation (EC) No 2341/2002 fixing for 2003 the fishing opportunities and associated conditions for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, applicable in Community waters and, for Community vessels, in waters where catch limitations are required THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002 of 20 December 2002 on the conservation and sustainable exploita- tion of fisheries resources under the Common Fisheries Policy (), and in particular Article 20(1) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Whereas: (1)  Annex XVII of Regulation (EC) No 2341/2002 () lays down a temporary scheme of effort management applic- able to all fisheries likely to catch cod in the North Sea and the West of Scotland. (2)  The implementation of that Annex XVII has shown that certain of its provisions need to be either clarified or made more flexible, in order to improve its applicability and effectiveness. (3) It is necessary to ensure that any change to the scheme does not result in a lesser conservation value for the measures in question. (4)  These measures should be adopted urgently in order to ensure the effectiveness of the system. For this reason it is imperative to grant an exception to the six-week period mentioned in paragraph I(3) of the Protocol on the role of national parliaments in the European Union, annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaties establishing the European Communities. (5)  Regulation (EC) No 2341/2002 should therefore be amended accordingly, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 2341/2002 shall be replaced by the text in the Annex to this Regulation. Article 2 This Regulation shall enter into force on the first day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 10 April 2003. () OJ L 358, 31.12.2002, p. 59. () OJ L 356, 31.12.2002, p. 12. For the Council The President G. PAPANDREOU