Brussels,

Noise

The EU’s main tool to protect and conserve the health of our coasts, seas and ocean is the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Its aim is to achieve a good environmental status of the EU's marine waters and sustainably protect the resource base upon which marine-related economic and social activities depend. Through the MSFD, the ecosystem-based approach became a legally-binding and operational principle for managing the EU’s entire marine environment.


The EU has implemented regulations to reduce and manage environmental noise, also known as noise pollution, to safeguard human health.

Environmental noise stems from sources like transportation, industry, and construction. It poses significant health risks, including cardiovascular issues, cognitive impairments in children, stress, sleep disturbances, and tinnitus.

Moreover, it adversely affects productivity and property values, impacting the economy.

EU noise policies aim to monitor and mitigate noise pollution to align with the zero pollution vision for 2050. Notably, the EU targets reducing chronic noise-related disturbances by 30% by 2030, as outlined in the Zero Pollution Action Plan.

Specific measures include regulations addressing underwater noise and the Environmental Noise Directive, which identifies and reduces noise pollution levels. The EU also provides tools like the Noise Observation and Information Service for Europe (NOISE) to track noise levels from various sources.
Explore the maps to see environmental noise from roads, railways, airports, industry and in cities where you live.

Consequencies of the Noise pollution in the EU

  • 12 000 premature deaths caused by long-term exposure to environmental noise
  • 22 million people suffer chronic high annoyance
  • 12 500 schoolchildren suffer learning impairment in school caused by aircraft noise

Underwater Noise

The EU has implemented policies to safeguard Europe's ocean, seas, and coasts due to their vital role in providing natural resources, supporting biodiversity, and sustaining livelihoods. However, human activities such as overfishing, pollution, and climate change threaten marine ecosystems.

The EU's primary framework for marine protection is the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), which aims to achieve good environmental status and ensure sustainable use of marine resources. The directive adopts an ecosystem-based approach to manage the entire marine environment, addressing issues such as pollution, biodiversity loss, and habitat damage.

EU Policy on Marine Policy

In 2008, the EU introduced the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) to preserve clean, healthy, productive, and resilient marine ecosystems while promoting sustainable use of marine resources. This directive aligns with the goals of the European Green Deal, including the EU's Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the Zero Pollution action plan.

Member States are required to develop national marine strategies to achieve or maintain 'good environmental status' by 2020. These strategies involve regular assessments, setting objectives, establishing monitoring programs, and implementing measures to improve marine waters' condition. Measures may include spatial protection measures like marine protected areas, requiring coordination with neighboring countries at the regional sea level. 

The MSFD defines Good Environmental Status (GES) as ecologically diverse, dynamic, clean, healthy, and productive marine waters, ensuring sustainable use for future generations. Eleven qualitative descriptors in Annex I outline what achieving GES entails, covering aspects like biodiversity, non-indigenous species, fish populations, food webs, eutrophication, sea floor integrity, hydrographical conditions, contaminants, marine litter, and energy introduction. 
Picture
Click to read
A Commission decision in 2017 detailed criteria and standards for determining GES for each descriptor, along with methods for monitoring and assessing the marine environment. It also mandates setting threshold values to prevent significant or irreversible damage to marine life and habitats, clarifying their use in marine strategies through a Commission notice.

​Implementation

The Marine Strategy Framework Directive is implemented over six-year cycles. EU Member States report at each step of the cycle and the Commission provides its assessments and recommendations. 
​
The implementation of the Directive is therefore an ongoing process. It requires an unprecedented and coordinated input from Member States. To facilitate this work, Member States and the Commission (together with regional sea conventions and other stakeholders) have set up an informal programme of coordination, the common implementation strategy. The Directive also requires the Member States provide access to environmental information and public participation in environmental decision-making.
Picture
Click to read
A holistic framework​

The Marine Strategy Framework Directive builds on existing EU legislation and covers specific elements of the marine environment not addressed in other policies. Some of the key legislation and policies directly relevant to the Directive are:
  • The Water Framework Directive - sets the goal of achieving Good Status for all EU surface and groundwaters by 2015, tying in with the goal of Good Environmental Status under the Marine Directive.
  • The Birds and Habitats Directives - Europe’s central laws on nature conservation, providing special protection for key sites including marine.
  • The Common Fisheries Policy sets out a collaborative approach to managing the EU’s shared seas and fisheries. It lays down rules to ensure Europe’s fisheries are sustainable and do not damage the marine environment, thereby contributing to achieving good environmental status.
  • The Blue economy and maritime spatial planning - setting out the policy framework for use of maritime space and resources
  • REACH Regulation - aims to improve the protection of human health and the environment through the better and earlier identification of the environmental risk chemicals pose.
  • Action plan: Protecting and restoring marine ecosystems for sustainable and resilient fisheries, bridging the fisheries and environment worlds for a transition to sustainable ways of fishing.
  • The Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive – regulates one of the main sources of water pollution that can find its way to coastal waters if left uncollected and untreated.
  • The Waste Framework Directive provides important mechanisms for the removal of litter and the improvement of water quality in line with the requirements of the MSFD.

​Others include the Single-Use plastics Directive, the EU Plastics Strategy, the Circular Economy Action Plan, Strategic Environmental Assessment and Environmental Impact Assessment Directives, the Port Reception Facilities Directive, the Ship-source pollution Directive and many others.
Regional cooperation

When developing their marine strategies, Member States are required to coordinate with each other and third countries though existing regional cooperation structures. In Europe, there are four Regional Sea Conventions which aim to protect the marine environment and bring together Member States and neighbouring countries that share marine waters.

Mediterranean Sea
The Barcelona Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean was adopted in 1995 and builds on UNEP’s Mediterranean Action plan established in 1975. The aim is to protect the Mediterranean marine and coastal environment while boosting regional and national plans to achieve sustainable development. The latest Conference of the Parties was held in December 2023 (COP23).

Black Sea
The Bucharest Convention on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution was adopted in 1992. It provides a legal framework for regional cooperation to protect the coastal and marine environment. 

Baltic Sea
The Helsinki Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area (HELCOM) was adopted in 1992. It covers the whole of the Baltic Sea area, including inland waters, sea waters and seabed. Measures are also taken in the whole catchment area of the Baltic Sea to reduce land-based pollution. 
In 2020, the Our Baltic  conference organised by the Commission led to the signing of the Our Baltic Declaration by the Ministers for Environment, Agriculture and Fisheries from eight EU Member States in the region. A second edition of the conference is being held in September 2023 to take stock of the progress so far in implementing the actions of the declaration.
HELCOM published its latest quality status report, HOLAS III, in October 2023.

North-East Atlantic
The OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic was adopted in 1992. It guides international cooperation for the protection of the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic. 
In June 2023 and with the support of the EU, OSPAR strengthened the conservation objectives of largest marine protected area in the North-East Atlantic, supported from the EU. OSPAR published its latest quality status report in September 2023.
The EU is a contracting party to the Barcelona Convention, HELCOM and OSPAR.

International cooperation
The MSFD is a key pillar for the EU to deliver on its global commitments to protect the marine environment and develop a sustainable approach to ocean management. This is recognised in the EU’s International ocean governance initiative. Achieving the objectives of the Directive contributes to the following instruments:
  • The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) - UNCLOS provides the legal framework for contemporary principles of protection of the marine environment, including the ecosystem-based approach, the precautionary approach and sustainable development.
  • The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) - The CBD aims to halt biodiversity loss, ensuring the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity, and to create a global network of marine protected areas (MPAs).
  • Sustainable Development Goal 14 - Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

Review of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive

​The European Commission is reviewing the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) and may propose amendments based on a report from June 2020, which assessed the first implementation cycle of the MSFD and identified areas needing improvement. The report was accompanied by additional documents covering the state of the marine environment, detailed MSFD implementation, and aspects of marine strategies.

The MSFD forms part of a holistic framework alongside other EU legislation and policies, including the Water Framework Directive, Birds and Habitats Directives, Common Fisheries Policy, Blue Economy and maritime spatial planning policies, REACH Regulation, and various directives addressing pollution, waste management, and marine ecosystem protection. Additionally, an action plan aims to protect and restore marine ecosystems for sustainable fisheries, bridging the gap between fisheries and environmental conservation efforts.

Public consultations and stakeholder conferences, such as the Future of our Seas conference in 2021, contribute to the review process. These efforts aim to ensure that the MSFD and associated policies effectively address challenges facing Europe's marine environment and support sustainable marine resource use.
Picture
Click to read

Data, research and funding

The MSFD triggered research initiatives that informed experts, managers and policy makers. Its monitoring programmes have collected data and increased our knowledge of the seas.

WISE – Marine portal - Access to information and data on the state of Europe’s seas, on the pressures affecting them, and on the actions being taken to protect and conserve the marine environment.

Research and innovation Research and innovation on oceans can be developed through the EU Mission Restore our Oceans and Waters.

Several funds can be accessed for the purpose of protecting the marine environment including the
​Specific projects were also previously funded under the European Maritime, Fisheries Fund (EMFF).

Environmental Noise Directive

The Environmental Noise Directive is the primary EU legislation addressing noise pollution, focusing on four key areas:

  • assessing noise exposure and health effects,
  • providing public information,
  • reducing noise, and
  • preserving areas with good noise quality.

Member States are required to produce and publish noise maps and action plans every five years for specific areas like:
​
  • agglomerations with more than 100 000 inhabitants
  • major roads (more than 3 million vehicles a year)
  • major railways (more than 30 000 trains a year)
  • major airports (more than 50 000 take-offs or landings a year, including small aircrafts and helicopters)

These plans must involve public consultation, but the directive doesn't set specific noise limits or targets; instead, it leaves implementation details to national authorities.
Picture
Click to read
​The directive aims to coordinate EU efforts to tackle noise pollution, recognizing it as a significant health issue affecting many citizens. While it doesn't establish noise reduction objectives or EU-wide noise limits, it serves as a framework for coordinated action at various levels of governance.
​
​
Revisions of the Directive

  1. Annex II (Calculation of Noise Levels):
    • 2015 Revision: Introduced common EU methods using formulas and coefficients to calculate noise levels at building façades.
    • 2020 Update: Enhanced the existing methods to reflect improved methodologies.
  2. Annex III (Burden of Disease from Noise Exposure):
    • 2020 Revision: Updated methods for calculating health impacts related to noise exposure, such as cardiovascular disease and sleep disturbances, based on the latest WHO scientific reviews.


Evaluation of the Directive

  • 2016 Evaluation Report:
    • Published by the Commission, this evaluation assessed the Directive's effectiveness, efficiency, coherence, relevance, and EU added value, summarized in a  Staff Working Document with Executive Summary in English, French and German.
    • Findings:
      • Relevance: The Directive remains crucial for addressing noise pollution, a significant environmental health issue in Europe.
      • Coherence: It aligns well with other EU legislation.
      • Effectiveness: Progress towards a unified EU approach is ongoing, though there were initial delays in adopting common assessment methodologies.
      • Efficiency: Demonstrated by low administrative costs and a favorable cost-benefit ratio of 1:29 where noise management action plans are implemented.
      • EU Added Value: Provides a competitive level playing field for transport infrastructure operators and enhances EU policy-making, though full potential is not yet achieved due to implementation delays.


​Implementation Reports

  1. 2011 First Report:
    • Reviewed progress and suggested improvements for enhancing the Directive's effectiveness.
  2. 2017 Second Report:
    • Noted variable progress among EU countries, influenced by each nation's ambitions, resources, and governance level (centralized vs. local).
  3. 2023 Third Report:
    • Showcased advancements in systematic noise assessment and the adoption of action plans.
    • Emphasized the need for more intensive actions to meet the goal of reducing transport noise-affected populations by 30% by 2030, as outlined in the Zero Pollution Action Plan.
    • Included insights from a major 2021 study on noise policy.

​This detailed examination of the Directive, its revisions, evaluations, and implementation reports demonstrates the ongoing efforts and challenges in managing environmental noise across the EU.

Noise pollution from the main sources

In addition to the Environmental Noise Directive, the EU also regulates noise emissions at their source. This regulation includes standardized noise limits for various noise-emitting products such as motor vehicles and their tires, railway vehicles, airplanes, drones, and outdoor equipment. Among these sources, road traffic stands as the primary contributor to environmental noise in Europe, followed by noise from rail traffic, aircraft, and then industrial sources.

The following list details key EU legislation pertaining to noise emissions:

Road traffic noise

Aircraft noise

Railway noise

Noise from Equipment for Use Outdoors