I(Acts whose publication is obligatory)REGULATION (EC) No 782/2003 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCILof 14 April 2003on the prohibition of organotin compounds on shipsTHE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THEEUROPEAN UNION,Having regard to the Treaty establishing the EuropeanCommunity, and in particular Article 80(2) thereof,Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic andSocial Committee (2),Having consulted the Committee of the Regions,Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article251 of the Treaty (3),Whereas:(1) The Community is seriously concerned by the harmfulenvironmental effects of organotin compounds used asanti-fouling systems on ships, and in particular of tribu-tyltin (TBT) coatings.(2) An International Convention on the control of harmfulanti-fouling systems on ships (AFS-Convention) wasadopted on 5 October 2001 at a Diplomatic Conference(AFS-Conference) held under the aegis of th...