L 249/18 Official Journal of the European Union 24.9.2005 II (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 22 September 2005 declaring operational the Regional Advisory Council for the North-Western Waters under the common fisheries policy (2005/668[EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, (ICES) areas (}) V (excluding Va and only EC waters in Vb), VI and VIL Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, (3) In accordance with Article 3(1) of Decision 2004/585(EC, representatives of the fisheries sector and Having regard to Council Decision 2004/585/EC of 19 July other interests groups.submitte(i. a request concerning the 2004 establishing Regional Advisory Councils under the operation of that Regional Advisory COUHCI] to Belg1gm, common fisheries policy (), and in’ particular Article 3(3) Fr.ance, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain and the United thereof, Kingdom. Having regard to the recommendation transmitted by Ireland on 27 2005 on behalf of Belgium, F , Ireland, the Neth- erlafll:ir;e Spain E?I?d t‘}ileaUr?itedeI?ilr?;:lorriance reland, the 1 (4)  As required by Article 3(2) of Decision 2004/585/EC, the Member States concerned determined whether the appli- cation concerning the Regional Advisory Council for the North-Western Waters was in conformity with the provisions laid down in that Decision. On 27 June 2005, the Member States concerned transmitted a recommendation on that Regional Advisory Council to the Commission. Whereas: (1) Council Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002 of 20 December 2002 on the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources under the common fisheries policy (?) and Decision 2004/585/EC provide the framework for the establishment and operation of Regional Advisory (5) Counils. The Commission has evaluated the application by the interested parties and the recommendation in the light of Decision 2004/585/EC and the aims and principles of the common fisheries policy, and considers that the Regional Advisory Council for the North-Western (2)  Article 2 of Decision 2004/585/EC establishes a Regional Waters is ready to become operational, Advisory Council to cover the North-Western Waters in International Council for the Exploration of the Seas () As defined in Council Regulation (EEC) No 3880/91 of 17 December 1991 on the submission of nominal catch statistics by () OJ L 256, 3.8.2004, p. 17. Member States fishing in the north-east Atlantic (O] L 365, OJ L 358, 31.12.2002, p. 59. 31.12.1991, p. 1).