9.5.2003 Official Journal of the European Union L115/1 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) REGULATION (EC) No 782/2003 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 14 April 2003 on the prohibition of organotin compounds on ships THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE (6)  The AFS-Convention will only enter into force 12 EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 80(2) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (!), Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (), Having consulted the Committee of the Regions, Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (), Whereas: (1)  The Community is seriously concerned by the harmful environmental effects of organotin compounds used as anti-fouling systems on ships, and in particular of tribu- tyltin (TBT) coatings. (2)  An International Convention on the control of harmful anti-fouling systems on ships (AFS-Convention) was adopted on 5 October 2001 at a Diplomatic Conference (AFS-Conference) held under the aegis of the Interna- tional Maritime Organisation (IMO) with the attendance of Member States of the Community. (3)  The AFS-Convention is a framework convention allowing the prohibition of harmful anti-fouling systems used on ships in accordance with well-defined proce- dures and having due regard to the precautionary prin- ciple expressed in the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development. (4)  The AFS-Convention, at this stage, only prohibits the application of organotin compounds on ships. (5)  Fixed application dates have been included in the AFS- Convention: 1 January 2003 for the prohibition of the application of organotin compounds on ships and 1 January 2008 for the elimination of the presence of organotin compounds on ships. () O] C 262 E, 29.10.2002, p. 492. (*) Opinion delivered on 11 December 2002 (not yet published in the Official Journal). (*) Opinion of the European Parliament of 20 November 2002 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and Decision of the Council of 17 March 2003. months after its ratification by at least 25 States repre- senting at least 25 % of the world's tonnage. (7)  Member States should ratify the AFS-Convention at the earliest opportunity. (8)  Member States should be put in the best possible posi- tion for a speedy ratification of the AFS-Convention. Any obstacles which might impede such ratification should be removed. (9)  The AFS-Conference, aware that the time remaining until 1 January 2003 might not be sufficient to enable the entry into force of the AFS-Convention by that date, and desiring that organotin compounds should effectively cease to be applied in shipping as from 1 January 2003, requested in AFS-Conference Resolution No 1 that IMO Member States do their utmost to prepare for imple- menting the AFS-Convention as a matter of urgency, and urged the relevant industries to refrain from the marketing, sale and application of organotin compounds by that date. (10)  As an immediate follow-up to the AFS-Conference the Commission adopted Commission Directive 2002/62/EC of 9 July 2002 adapting to technical progress for the ninth time Annex I to Council Directive 76/769/EEC on the approximation of the laws, regulations and adminis- trative provisions of the Member States relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations (organostannic compounds) () in order to prohibit, with effect from 1 January 2003, the marketing and use of organostannic compounds in anti-fouling systems for all ships, irrespec- tive of their length. () OJ L 183, 12.7.2002, p. 58.