Sound level of motor vehicles

EESC opinion: Sound level of motor vehicles

Key points:

  • The EESC supports the Commission's initiative to update the noise limit values for motor vehicles by lowering them. The EESC also shares the proposal's ambitious objectives, which will reduce vehicle noise pollution by about 25%.
  • Nevertheless, the EESC regrets that the problem is not addressed through an integrated approach, which would have enabled even more efficient noise reductions, which would therefore have been easier for the public to appreciate.
  • The EESC is even more concerned to see that the new limits have been applied on the basis of a classification of vehicles dating back to 1985 and therefore do not take into account market developments.
  • The EESC also believes that the proposal does not make enough allowance for how long it will take to take to adapt vehicles to the new noise levels and therefore advocates a review of the proposed timeframe. The first stage could be eliminated, focusing directly on the end result.

For more information please contact the INT Section Secretariat