Noise emission in the environment by equipment for use outdoors

PURPOSE: To amend the EU’s Noise Directive.

PROPOSED ACT: Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council.

CONTENT: This proposal provides for an amendment to Directive 2000/14 known as the Noise Directive. The Directive became applicable on a voluntary basis on 3 July 2001 and, since 3 January 2002, fifty-seven types of equipment listed in the Directive must satisfy the requirements of the Noise Directive before being placed on the market or put into service. In light of advice given to the Commission from the Noise Steering Group (otherwise known as WG7), the Commission is proposing to amend Directive 2000/14 in order to:

-         Allow certain types of equipment (for which clear evidence has been provided that the stage II limits are not technically feasible for the moment) to be placed on the market and/or put into service in the EU from 3 January 2006. The list of equipment referred to are: Lawn mowers, lawn trimmers and lawn edge trimmers, walk behind vibratory rollers, vibratory plates (>3kW), vibratory rammers, dozers (steel tracked), loaders (steel tracked >50kW), combustion-engine driven counterbalanced lift trucks, compacting screed paver finishers and hand-held internal combustion engine concrete breakers and picks (15

-         Provide the Commission with sufficient time to fulfil its obligations under Article 16 and 20 of the Noise Directive. Article 16 obliges the Commission to collect annual information from industry on declarations of conformity including, inter alia, information relating to sound power levels. Article 20 obliges the Commission to present two separate Reports; the first on the Directive’s implementation and the second on whether and to what extent technical progress allows for a reduction of limit values to the indicative sound power levels shown for stage II lawnmowers, lawn trimmers and lawn edge trimmers. The Reports were to have been submitted on 03/01/2005 and 03/07/2002 respectively. The Commission argues that it needs additional time to prepare both reports and is proposing to amend the Noise Directive to take account of this fact. The amendment would result in the Commission preparing one single Report for submission on 01/01/2007.

-         To allow for the incorporation of two Reports foreseen in the Noise Directive.

The proposal has no implications for the Community budget.