Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 3908/91 of 19 December 1991 on Community action to protect the environment in the coastal areas and coastal waters of the Irish Sea, North Sea, English Channel, Baltic Sea and North­East Atlantic Ocean ( Norspa )

COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) N°  3908/91
of 19 December 1991
on Community action to protect the environment in the coastal areas and  coastal waters of the Irish Sea, North Sea, English Channel, Baltic Sea and North-East Atlantic  Ocean (Norspa)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article  130s thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (2),
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3),
Whereas, pursuant to Article 130r of the Treaty, one of the objectives of Community action relating  to the environment is to preserve, protect and improve the quality of the environment and whereas,  in formulating that action, it will take account of, inter alia, environmental conditions in the  various regions of the Community;
Whereas the Resolution of 19 October 1987 of the Council of the European Communities and of the  Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, on the  continuation and implementation of a European Community policy and action programme on the  environment (1987 to 1992) (4) states that combating fresh-water and marine pollution by means of  the general improvement of the aquatic environment, in particular in the North Sea and the  Mediterranean Sea, is among the areas of particular importance for Community action;
Whereas the ministerial declaration of the participants in the Third International Conference on  the Protection of the North Sea, held in The Hague on 7 and 8 March 1990, stressed the need to  protect the environment of the North Sea and adopted a package of specific measures accompanied by  a precise timetable;
Whereas protection of the environment of the Irish Sea, North Sea, English Channel, Baltic Sea and  North-East Atlantic Ocean north of the Tagus, as well as the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands  requires a combined international effort by all the coastal States; whereas certain measures in  this field can be carried out more effectively at Community level than by the individual Member  States;
Whereas the Community should contribute towards carrying out operations for the benefit of the  environment of the northern maritime regions of the Community, by granting financial support for  certain specific measures;
Whereas an amount of ECU 16,5 million is considered necessary for implementing this action up until  31 December 1992;
Whereas a committee should be set up to assist the Commission in implementing this Regulaton and  whereas, to this end, recourse should be had to the Committee set up by Council Regulation (EEC) N°  563/91 of 4 March 1991 on action by the Community for the protection of the environment in the  Mediterranean region (Medspa) (5),