Noise emission by equipment used outdoors

KEY POINTS

The directive’s purpose is fourfold:

• to harmonise noise-emission standards;
• to harmonise conformity-assessment¹ procedures;
• to harmonise noise-level conformity marking;
• to gather data on noise emissions.

The following types of equipment are excluded:

• non-powered attachments (to tools) that are separately placed on the market or put into service² (except for hand-held concrete-breakers and picks);
• all equipment intended for the transport of goods or persons by public road, by rail, by air or on waterways;
• equipment designed and constructed for use by the police or the military.

EU Member States are responsible for verifying that the rules laid down by the directive are being applied. Annexes V to VIII contain the various conformity assessment procedures to be used.

The manufacturer or the person placing the equipment on the market or putting it into service must ensure (under Articles 4 and 8) that:

• they have drawn up an EC declaration of conformity certifying that each item of equipment bearing the CE marking conforms to the directive;
• they have affixed an indelible legible marking to each item of equipment indicating the guaranteed sound power level.

Where a Member State ascertains that an item of equipment does not comply with these conditions, it must withdraw the equipment from the market or prohibit its use.

Labelling is compulsory for all items of equipment covered by the directive and must include:

• the CE marking visibly, legibly and indelibly affixed to each item of equipment;
• details of the sound power level LWA³ in dB(A)⁴ in relation to 1 pW⁵.

The noise emission limits laid down for certain types of equipment were introduced in two stages, so as to enable businesses to adapt to the new regulations. The emission limits for stage 1 took effect two years after the directive’s entry into force and more stringent limits entered into force in 2006.

Member States may set up notified bodies, which are responsible for monitoring the noise emission limits applicable to the equipment. These monitoring controls apply both to the equipment design phase and to the the equipment production phase. It should be noted, however, that it is not necessary to monitor the design of equipment that is subject only to compulsory marking.

To assess the impact of the directive, a procedure for the collection of noise emission data was established. This information serves as the basis for customers to choose less noisy equipment and for devising economic incentives and awards. Manufacturers or their authorised representatives are required to send to the relevant authorities in Member States, as well as to the European Commission, a copy of the EU declaration of conformity for equipment placed on the market.

The directive has 24 articles and 10 annexes covering:

• definitions of equipment;
• the EU declaration of conformity;
• the method of measuring airborne noise emitted by equipment for use outdoors;
• models of the CE marking of conformity and of the indication of the guaranteed sound power level;
• the internal control of production;
• the internal control of production with assessment of technical documentation and periodical checking;
• unit verification;
• full quality assurance;
• minimum criteria to be taken into account by Member States for the notification of bodies (the notified bodies mentioned above);
• unit verification and the model of conformity certificate.

The Commission may adapt Directive 2000/14/EC to technical progress by means of delegated acts.

Internal market emergency mode

Amending Directive (EU) 2024/2749 seeks to avoid disruptions to the internal market in the event of an emergency by ensuring that, once an internal market emergency mode, as set out in Regulation (EU) 2024/2747 (the Internal Market Emergency and Resilience Act), has been activated by means of an implementing act adopted by the Council of the European Union, designated crisis-relevant goods and services⁶ can be placed on the market as rapidly as possible.

Directive (EU) 2024/2749 amends Directive 2000/14/EC setting out how these emergency procedures would apply. Among other things, the new rules:

• require conformity-assessment bodies to prioritise applications for conformity of crisis-relevant products over those that are not;
• allow Member States, on an exceptional basis and where there is a duly justified request, to temporarily authorise the placing on the market of equipment without carrying out the normal conformity-assessment procedures, where the involvement of a notified body is mandatory and can ensure that all essential requirements are met.