Environment: anti-fouling paints used on ships, prohibition of organotin compounds

PURPOSE : to reduce or eliminate adverse effects on the marine environment and human health caused by organotin compounds, which act as active biocides in anti-fouling systems used on ships flying the flag of, or operating under the authority of, a Member State and on ships, regardless of the flag they fly, sailing to or from ports of the Member States. CONTENT : in accordance with the policy objectives outlined in the Commission's White Paper on Transport Policy, this proposal for a regulation of the European parliament and the Council aims to reduce the negative environmental impact of harmful anti-fouling paints used on ships. The objective to prohibit harmful organotin compounds used in anti-fouling systems on ships on fixed dates (1 January 2003 for their application on ships and 1 January 2008 for the elimination of the presence of active harmful coatings on ships) will be achieved through the entry into force of the International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-Fouling Systems on Ships (AFS-Convention). This Convention was adopted on 5 October 2001 at a Diplomatic Conference held under the aegis of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). Most of the Member States will however be unable to implement this Convention in their national law before 1 January 2003, due to the cumbersome ratification process. Therefore the proposed Regulation aims to : - put the Member States in the best possible position for ratifying the AFS Convention and should resolve possible obstacles, which might create an impediment to speedy ratification and thus will contribute to the earliest possible entry into force of the AFS Convention, - safeguard at Community level the achievement of the main goal of the AFS Convention i.e. the prohibition of the application of organotin compounds on ships flying the flag of a member State by 1 January 2003 and a complete prohibition of the presence of organotin compounds on all ships, irrespective of their flag, by 1 January 2008.�