Scope:

Directive 2002/49/EC relating to the assessment and management of environmental noise.

Evaluation findings:

Overall, the evaluation concluded that EU noise-at-source legislation remains a cost effective means to address noise. Through improved implementation of the Directive, resulting in a complete database on noise exposure in the Union, it would be possible to better inform policy options for noise reduction measures in the area of transport.

The Directive generates EU added value, by creating a level playing field across the EU in which transport infrastructure operators can compete, and by contributing to a better understanding of the presence of noise pollution and better-informed EU policymaking through the provision of comparable data on noise exposure at EU level.

The evaluation identified a limited number of specific issues of concern, such as the limited scope of the Directive, the need for clarification regarding some definitions, as well as the need to adjust the Directive to recent regulatory developments that have taken place at EU level since the Directive was adopted (e.g. Lisbon Treaty). The action plan also foresees to enhance the reporting mechanism.

In addition, the scientific evidence brought forward by the WHO suggests that harmful health effects can occur at lower levels than those so far addressed by the Directive, which the Commission has to consider according to Article 11(4) of the Directive. The Commission will therefore engage in a dialogue with stakeholders to assess how these issues can best be addressed without unnecessarily reducing the flexibility of Member States to define their own levels of ambition or choice of approaches.

A follow-up action plan is included in the last chapter of the implementation report COM(2017)151: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52017DC0151

Estimated savings and benefits

The evaluation showed that the administrative costs are low (€0.15 for noise maps and €0.03 for action plans per citizen, every 5 years). Cost-benefit analysis showed that where action plans - including measures for noise management - have been implemented, the Directive was efficient with a favourable cost-benefit ratio of 1:29. The evaluation has shown that adopting measures to reduce the health burden has economic advantages (e.g. savings related to hospitalisation, working capacity, increase real-estate value) beyond simply improving the health of the citizens.

As required by the Directive, the Commission prepares a report on the implementation of the Directive every five years. The first implementation report was published in 2011, summarising progress in implementing the Directive and outlining possible improvements to enhance its effectiveness.

The second implementation report in 2017 found that EU countries have made progress in implementing the Environmental Noise Directive, but progress varies per country. Progress depends on each country’s level of ambition, resources allocated to implementation, and whether implementation is tasked to centralised or local authorities.

The Commission already undertook some of the actions foreseen in the follow-up action plan: the Directive reporting mechanism has been included in an alignment proposal of environmental reporting (COM(2018)381); the Commission organised a noise awareness event (Noise in Europe, 2017) and opened the Noise Expert Group to stakeholders and citizens’ associations.

A major study on the entire noise policy was performed in 2021 and will inform the next implementation report.