Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
The indicator is part of the EU Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicator set. It is used to monitor progress towards SDG 11 on making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable and SDG 3 on good health and well-being. SDG 11 is embedded in the European Commission’s Priorities under 'A new era for European Defence and Security', 'Supporting people, strengthening our societies and our social model', 'Sustaining our quality of life: food security, water and nature' and 'Protecting our democracy, upholding our values'. SDG 3 is embedded in the European Commission’s Priorities under 'Supporting people, strengthening our societies and our social model'
SDG 11 aims to renew and plan cities and other human settlements so that they offer opportunities for all, with access to basic services, energy, housing, transportation, green public spaces and others, while improving resource use and reducing environmental impacts. SDG 3 aims to ensure health and well-being for all at all ages by improving reproductive, maternal and child health; ending the epidemics of major communicable diseases; reducing non-communicable and mental diseases. It also calls for reducing behavioural and environmental health-risk factors.
The Environmental Noise Directive is the main EU instrument for identifying and combating noise pollution. It focuses on three action areas: determination of exposure to environmental noise; ensuring that information on environmental noise and its effects is made available to the public; preventing and reducing environmental noise where necessary and particularly where exposure levels can induce harmful effects on human health and preserving environmental noise quality where it is good.
4.1. Data description
The indicator measures the proportion of the population who declare that they are affected either by noise from neighbours or from the street.
Because the assessment of noise pollution is subjective, it should be noted that the indicator accounts for both the levels of noise pollution as well as people’s standards of what level they consider to be acceptable. Therefore, an increase in the value of the indicator may not necessarily indicate a similar increase in noise pollution levels but also a decrease of the levels that European citizens are willing to tolerate and vice versa. In fact, there is empirical evidence that perceived environmental quality by individuals is not always consistent with the actual environmental quality assessed using ‘objective’ indicators, particularly for noise.
4.2. Unit of measure
% of population i. total ii. below 60% of median equivalised income iii. above 60% of median equivalised income
4.3. Reference Period
Calendar year
4.4. Accuracy - overall
From 2005 onwards EU-SILC is based on a common framework defined by harmonised lists of primary and secondary variables, common concepts, a recommended design, common requirements (such as imputation procedures, weighting, sampling errors calculation) and classifications aiming at maximising comparability of the information produced. Details can be found in the metadata of the source datasets (see link to related metadata).
4.5. Source data
4.5.1. Source data - Organisation
ESS (SILC)
4.5.2. Source data - Comment
Data source: Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) (ILC_MDDW01)
Data provider: Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, based on data reported by the countries.
5.1. Frequency of dissemination
5.1.1. Frequency of dissemination - Grade
Every 3+ years
5.1.2. Frequency of dissemination - Comment
Since 2020 this indicator is updated every three years. No data on 2021 and 2022 will be published. Complete and updated ESS data release information can be accessed via Eurostat release calendar.
5.2. Timeliness
5.2.1. Timeliness - Grade
T+0 years
5.2.2. Timeliness - Comment
New data points are disseminated within the reference year.
“Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 establishes the timeliness of data transmissions from the national statistical institutes. Derogations are granted for number of counties for the timeliness deadlines according to Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/2050:
• variables for the data collection of year N should be transmitted by the end of the year N, but in exceptional cases, provisional microdata concerning income may be transmitted by the end of year N and revised data by 28 February of the year N+1;
• variables related to the observation covering the years of the rotation scheme ending in year N, should be transmitted by 31 October of the year N+1.
According to the regulation, the aggregated data will be published on Eurostat website, as soon as possible and within six months of the transmission deadline for annual and infra‐annual data collection, and within 12 months of the transmission deadline for other data collection, save in duly justified cases.”
6.1. Reference area
6.1.1. Reference Area - Grade
All EU MS
6.1.2. Reference Area - Comment
Data are presented for all EU Member States plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, Türkiye and Kosovo(*).
(*) This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
6.2. Comparability - geographical
6.2.1. Comparability - geographical - Grade
All EU MS
6.2.2. Comparability - geographical - Comment
Data are comparable between all EU Member States and the other presented countries.
6.3. Coverage - Time
6.3.1. Time Coverage - Grade
> 10 years
6.3.2. Time Coverage - Comment
Presented time series (including EU aggregates) starts in 2010.
6.4. Comparability - over time
6.4.1. Comparability - over time - Grade
> 4 data points
6.4.2. Comparability - over time - Comment
Length of comparable time series without methodological break is longer than 4 data points. There are breaks in time series for BE, DE, IE, FR, LU in last 4 data points (2018-2023).
7.1. Dissemination format - Publications
Analysis of indicator is presented in Eurostat's annual monitoring report on Sustainable development in the EU (progress towards SDGs in the EU context).
The indicator measures the proportion of the population who declare that they are affected either by noise from neighbours or from the street.
Because the assessment of noise pollution is subjective, it should be noted that the indicator accounts for both the levels of noise pollution as well as people’s standards of what level they consider to be acceptable. Therefore, an increase in the value of the indicator may not necessarily indicate a similar increase in noise pollution levels but also a decrease of the levels that European citizens are willing to tolerate and vice versa. In fact, there is empirical evidence that perceived environmental quality by individuals is not always consistent with the actual environmental quality assessed using ‘objective’ indicators, particularly for noise.
19 March 2025
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Calendar year
From 2005 onwards EU-SILC is based on a common framework defined by harmonised lists of primary and secondary variables, common concepts, a recommended design, common requirements (such as imputation procedures, weighting, sampling errors calculation) and classifications aiming at maximising comparability of the information produced. Details can be found in the metadata of the source datasets (see link to related metadata).
% of population i. total ii. below 60% of median equivalised income iii. above 60% of median equivalised income
