27.4.2002 Official Journal of the European Communities L112/21 COMMISSION DIRECTIVE 2002/35/EC of 25 April 2002 amending Council Directive 97/70/EC setting up a harmonised safety regime for fishing vessels of 24 metres in length and over (Text with EEA relevance) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Directive 97/70/EC of 11 December 1997 setting up a harmonised safety regime for vessels of 24 metres in length and over ('), as amended by Commission Directive 1999/19/EC (), and in particular Article 8 thereof, Whereas: (1) The Torremolinos Protocol relating to the Torremolinos International Convention for the Safety of Fishing Vessels, 1977, hereinafter referred to as the ‘Torremo- linos Protocol’ was adopted on 2 April 1993. (2)  Directive 97/70/EC establishes a harmonised safety regime for certain fishing vessels, applying the Torremo- linos Protocol to them. (3)  In order to ensure consistency in the application of the provisions of the Annex to the Torremolinos Protocol for the application of Article 3(1) of Directive 97/70/EC, it appears necessary to harmonise the interpretations left to the discretion of the administrations of the Member States of certain of those provisions. These harmonised interpretations should apply only to fishing vessels constructed on or after 1 January 2003 as they imply important changes in the construction of fishing vessels. (4)  Directive 97[70/EC should therefore be amended accordingly. (5)  The measures provided for in this Directive are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee estab- lished by Article 12 of Council Directive 93/75/EEC (), as last amended by Commission Directive 98/74/EC (%), () OJ L 34, 9.2.1998, p. 1. () O] L 83, 27.3.1999, p. 48. () O] L 247, 5.10.1993, p. 19. (% O] L 276, 13.10.1998, p. 7. HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: Article 1 Annex I to Directive 97/70/EC is hereby replaced by the text in the Annex to this Directive. Article 2 1. Member States shall adopt and publish, before 1 January 2003 the provisions necessary to comply with this Directive. They shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof. They shall apply those provisions from 1 January 2003. When Member States adopt those provisions, they shall contain a reference to this Directive or be accompanied by such a reference on the occasion of their official publication. Member States shall determine how such reference is to be made. 2. Member States shall communicate to the Commission the provisions of national law, which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive. Article 3 This Directive shall enter into force on the 20th day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities. Article 4 This Directive is addressed to the Member States. Done at Brussels, 25 April 2002. For the Commission Loyola DE PALACIO Vice-President