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To feed the experience of LRAs into the preparations of the European Commission for its revision of the Environmental Noise Directive.

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS



- welcomes the real benefits brought by the directive but is disappointed that neither the END nor the report on its implementation make any specific reference to local and regional authorities and the crucial role which they play in combating excessive noise;



- notes that noise pollution is primarily a local problem, but one that largely requires a European solution, and calls in this connection for the EU to develop an ambitious emissions policy for noise, in the form of European measures to tackle the problem at source;



- proposes that following a thorough assessment of the impact on local and regional authorities, the Commission set trigger or target values based on WHO health recommendations;



- highlights the need for linkages and complementarity between the different legislative instruments regulating materials associated with noise at source and for legislative gaps to be filled, specifically concerning vehicles – especially cars and lorries – roads, railways and airports, by drawing up an overarching legal framework;



- highlights the importance of providing regional and local authorities with financial support and technical guidance, as well as ancillary EU and national measures, for dealing with EU policy on noise pollution;



- calls for noise and noise pollution concerns to be incorporated into all relevant policy files and initiatives, especially in a future Seventh EU Environment Action Programme and a second EU Action Plan on the Environment and Health, as well as in sustainable transport initiatives under the EU regional development programmes and land-use policies;



- suggests that the Commission extend the concept of multilevel governance to other areas such as noise. The Covenant of Mayors could be the benchmark in this regard.