29.4.2004 Official Journal of the European Union L1291 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) REGULATION (EC) No 724/2004 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 31 March 2004 amending Regulation (EC) No 1406/2002 establishing a European Maritime Safety Agency (Text with EEA relevance) THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Com- munity, and in particular Article 80(2) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee ('), Having consulted the Committee of the Regions, Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (3), Whereas: (1) Regulation (EC) No 1406/2002 (°) established a Euro- pean Maritime Safety Agency (‘the Agency) for the purpose of ensuring a high, uniform and effective level of maritime safety and prevention of pollution by ships. (20 On 12 December 2002, the Diplomatic Conference of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) adopted a number of amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and an International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS) that provide a set of measures regarding maritime security. It is there- fore appropriate to specify the role of the Agency in the field of maritime security. () 0 C 32, 5.2.2004, p. 21. (¥) Opinion of the European Parliament of 12 February 2004. Decision ofPthe Council of 25 March 2004. () OJ L 208, 5.8.2002, p. 1. Regulation as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1644/2003 (O] L 245, 29.9.2003, p. 10). (3) It is important to take appropriate security measures to ensure the safety of Community shipping and Com- munity ports as well as the safety of passengers, crews and port staff, against the threats of intentional unlawful acts. (4)  Regulation (EC) No 725/2004 of the European Parlia- ment and of the Council of 31 March 2004 on enhan- cing ship and port facility security (*) assigns to the Commission certain inspection tasks in relation to the checking of the implementation of these security measures by Member States, in the performance of which the Agency could provide useful technical assis- tance. These tasks shall cover inspections of ships and related companies, as well as Recognised Security Orga- nisations authorised to undertake certain security-related activities in this context. (5)  Recent accidents in Community waters, particularly those of the oil tankers ‘Erika’ and ‘Prestige’, demon- strated the need for additional Community action not only in the field of pollution prevention, but also in the pollution response field. (6)  Decision No 2850/2000/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2000 (°) set up a Community framework for cooperation in the field of accidental or deliberate marine pollution for the period from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2006. (7)  Council Decision 2001/792/EC, Euratom of 23 October 2001 (°) established a Community mechanism to facili- tate reinforced cooperation in civil protection assistance interventions, including accidental marine pollution. This mechanism involves a Commission monitoring and information centre deployed in all cases of civil protec- tion assistance interventions. (*) See page 6 of this Official Journal. () OJ L 332, 28.12.2000, p. 1. (% OJ L 297, 15.11.2001, p. 7.