EU demands stronger action on noise pollution
Freight transport - Photo by James Wheeler on Pexels
(BRUSSELS) - Actions on noise pollution must be increased if the number of people affected by transport noise is to be reduced by 30% by 2030, says Monday's report on implementation of the Environmental Noise Directive.
Noise represents the second biggest environmental health threat in Europe after air pollution, with over 100 million citizens, or 20% of the EU population exposed to excessive noise levels. The most disruptive noise comes from road, rail and air traffic.
The 2030 target and commitments set out in the Zero Pollution Action Plan reinforced political momentum to intensify policies and legislative action to reduce noise pollution. Now, the priority is to address noise from transport by adding measures and practical interventions.
The report highlights approaches for the main transport sectors responsible for noise disturbance. It also stresses that different actors must be involved – the national level, relevant authorities, and innovative transport mode and transport infrastructure operators who to further engage in reducing noise in technologies and products from the outset. On its side, the Commission will seek to improve the overall implementation of the Environmental Noise Directive and assess the need to improve it, also considering noise impacts on biodiversity.
- Roads: the use of quiet tyres, low-noise road surfaces and reduced road speed limits needs to be considered. In particular, the report recommends that EU legislation on tyres should be strengthened. The Commission will therefore revise noise limits on tyres where needed, on the basis of the UNECE Regulation No 117 on tyres approval.
- Railways: the Commission will support Member States to use quieter and smoother rails together with quiet wagons as mandated by Regulation (EU) 1304/2014 on the technical specification for interoperability relating to the subsystem 'rolling stock — noise'.
- Air traffic: the Commission will promote improved flight procedures to reduce noise from aircraft landing and take-off. Noise reduction measures will be integrated in the next revision of the Airport Charges Directive 2009/12/EC, including the modulation of airport charges to reduce noise from landing and take-off and increasing the use of quieter aircrafts. Today, Member States can voluntarily decide to modulate airport charges under the Directive for environmental purposes such as the reduction of noise.
Different levels:
- Innovative transport mode and transport infrastructure operators should be incentivised to further engage in 'noiseless by design' technologies and products.
- At national level, Member States should ensure that noise action plans systematically include:
- the introduction of quiet surfaces whenever a busy road is repaved, as set out in the Green Public Procurement guidelines;
- lower road speed limits, when this also improves safety;
- well-maintained railway tracks and installation of low-emission tracks near households;
- appropriate noise abatement objectives in line with the "Balanced Approach" Regulation (EU) 598/2014, together with effective measures to achieve them.
- Relevant authorities should make full use of the potential of the Green City Accord to achieve better compliance with pollution-prevention laws, including the Environmental Noise Directive.
Report on the implementation of the Environmental Noise Directive (2023)