02/02/26 (Agence Europe) – On Thursday 29 January, the European Commission launched a targeted consultation as part of its assessment of EU rules governing the introduction of noise-related operating restrictions at airports. This initiative marks the first stage in the evaluation of the 2014 ‘Balanced Approach Regulation’ on aircraft noise management. The Commission’s report on the application of the regulation, initially scheduled for June 2021, has not yet been published. The purpose of the targeted consultation is to gather data and stakeholder feedback on the effectiveness, efficiency, relevance, coherence and European added value of the regulation. It is open until Thursday 26 February. A wider public consultation, based on a detailed questionnaire and open to all stakeholders, should follow in the second quarter of 2026, with the overall assessment continuing until the first quarter of 2027. To see the consultation: https://aeur.eu/f/kje (AD)