92001E1618

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1618/01

by Jorge Hernández Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(12 June 2001)

Subject: Community noise abatement legislation

For the first time ever, the residents of the historic centre of Malaga have mobilised under the slogan Endless sleepless nights destroy body and soul, and

have set up a committee to protest against the circumstance that Malaga is one of the noisiest cities in Europe, with a noise level in excess of 65 decibels, the level considered harmful by the WHO.

Can the Commission give an account of the general and environmental legislation at EU level under which the public is protected against noise, given that existing noise levels are causing these Malaga residents so much damage (physical damage included) that they have decided to launch a crusade to fight this form of sound pollution?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(25 July 2001)

The Commission has received several complaints that are of a similar nature to that cited in the Honourable Member's question.

The Community has not adopted legislation about acceptable levels of noise nuisance. This type of problem is therefore currently a purely national challenge and the complainants should address their concerns to the competent authorities in Spain.

However, the Commission has launched a proposal for a Directive for the assessment and management of environmental noise(1). This was a follow up to mainly Parliament's responses to the earlier work on noise that was presented as a Green Paper(2). The proposal is currently being examined by the Parliament and the Council.

The proposal will ensure that the Member States assess levels of environmental noise and inform the public about the result of their assessment and their plans to reduce the noise nuisance.

(1) OJ C 337 E, 28.11.2000.

(2) COM(96) 540 final.