Noise

European Commission tasks

Pursuant to Article 10, paragraph 1 of the Directive, the Commission should submit a report to the European Parliament and the Council containing a review of existing Community measures relating to sources of environmental noise. The report was due by 18 January, 2004.

The Commission completed this task following the publication of its Communication on this subject. The report suggested that there was no immediate need and scope for further measures relating the sources of environmental noise.

The report can be found here.

Overview: report on existing Community measures relating to sources of noise COM(2004)160

Relevant legislations related to the sources

Road traffic noise (follow-up by EC Directorate General Enterprise)

Motor Vehicles - Directive 70/157/EEC
Motor Cycles - Directive 97/24/EC
Tyres for motor vehicles and their trailers and their fitting - Directive 2001/43/EC

Studies carried out on these Directives on behalf of DG ENTR can be seen below:

Tyre/road noise report (2006) - part 1 and part 2
Survey on motor vehicles tyres and related aspects (2004)
Anti tampering devices of 2 and 3 wheeled motor vehicles (2003)

Noise reduction measures in the road transport sector (2003)

Aircraft noise (follow-up by EC Directorate General Energy & Transport)

Communication on air transport and environment (1999)
Subsonic Aircraft - Directive 80/51/EEC
Subsonic Jet Aeroplanes - Directive 89/629/EEC
Limitation of the Operations of Aeroplanes - Directive 92/14/EEC
Operating restrictions at Community airports - Directive 2002/30/EC and related Commission review (2006)
Regulation of chapter 3 civil subsonic aeroplanes, Directive 2006/93/EC

For more information about these Directives, see here.

Studies carried out on these Directives on behalf of DG TREN can be seen here

Railway noise (follow-up by EC Directorate General Energy & Transport)

Interoperability of the Trans-European high-speed rail system - Directive 96/48/EC

Technical specification for interoperability (TSI) relating to high-speed rolling stock - Commission Decision 2002/735/EC
Technical specification for interoperability (TSI) relating to high-speed railway infrastructures - Commission Decision 2002/732/EC

Interoperability of the conventional Trans-European rail system - Directive 2001/16/EC

Commission Decision 2004/446/EC of 29 April 2004 specifying the basic parameters of the 'Noise', 'Freight Wagons' and 'Telematic applications for freight' Technical Specifications for Interoperability referred to in Directive 2001/16/EC (OJ L 193 p. 1)
Directive 2004/50/EC of 29 April 2004 amending Council Directive 96/48/EC and Directive 2001/16/EC (OJ L 164, 30.4.2004)
Commission Decision 2006/66/EC adopted on 23 December 2005 concerning the technical specification for interoperability relating to the subsystem "rolling stock - noise".

Noise from Equipment for Use Outdoors - 2000/14/EC (follow-up by EC Directorate General Enterprise)

All the useful information can be found on the following webpage.