(2004/C 65 E/046)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0811/03

by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) and Bernd Lange (PSE) to the Commission

(17 March 2003)

Subject:   Review of Directive 2000/14/EC on noise emission by outdoor equipment

Directive 2000/14/EC (1) harmonises the laws of the Member States relating to noise emission standards and further data for equipment for use outdoors and was adopted on 8 May 2000. The scope of this directive includes noisy equipment, like building machines, compressors, cooling equipment, hydraulic hammers or lawn mowers (see Annex I).

Article 20(3) of this directive asks the Commission to submit to the European Parliament and to the Council, not later than 3 July 2002, a report on technical progress to reduce limit values for lawn mowers and lawn trimmers. This report should be accompanied, if appropriate, by a proposal to amend this directive in order to replace the indicative figures in Article 12. The Commission has until now not delivered a report (February 2003).

Will the Commission explain the reasons for the delay in putting forward a report and a proposal for a revision, in accordance with Article 20(3) of Directive 2000/14/EC? By when does the Commission expect to come out with these two documents?

Will it give an overview of the activities currently carried out by the Commission to make sure that the report on the implementation of the Directive, in accordance with Article 20(1) of the Directive, will be ready by 3 January 2005?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(2 May 2003)

Directive 2000/14/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 8 May 2000 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the noise emission in the environment by equipment for use outdoors (2) harmonises the law of the Member States relating to noise emission standards for equipment for use outdoors. For lawnmowers it sets limit values to be applied from 2003 as well as a set of indicative values which could be applied from 2006.

Article 20(3) of this Directive requires the Commission to submit to the Parliament and to the Council a report on technical progress to reduce limit values for lawn mowers and lawn trimmers/lawn edge trimmers and, if appropriate, a proposal to amend the Directive. A technical report was commissioned from a research establishment on the technical progress of noise reduction in lawnmowers. In 2002 the Commission received the report and subsequently a position paper from a working group charged with reviewing the report. Further work was initiated to assess the economic implications of the findings. When completed, the Commission will prepare the report to the Parliament and the Council. It is included in the Commission's work programme for 2003 and expected to be submitted accordingly to the Parliament and the Council.

With a view to the review of the Directive as set out in its Article 20, the Commission has started the review of the experience from its implementation with the Committee set up under its Article 18, is collecting noise data as required under its Article 16, and is setting up a working group of stakeholders and Member State experts to assist the Commission in assessing the technical issues linked to the review.

(1)  OJ L 162, 3.7.2000, p. 1.

(2)  OJ L 162, 3.7.2000.