Brussels, 26/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - On 26 March, the Transport Council adapted the directive establishing common rules for the banning of noisy aircraft from European airports. This was voted for almost unanimously, with Belgium abstaining. The text adopted during its first reading by the European Parliament has therefore been adopted (see EUROPE 14 March page 12). This decision abrogates the "Hushkit" Regulation, which had been expected to ban the registering of aircraft equipped with "Hushkit" noise reducers from 1 April. This decision, thus, puts an end to the conflict with the USA, which opposed the regulation.
On the basis of the agreement concluded with the International Civil Aviation Organisation, this directive will allow the "competent authorities" in Member States to ban or limit the use of planes that "only just" meet the standards on noise fixed by the ICAO, namely, those that only comply with a 5 decibel limit fixed by the rules currently in force (established in "Chapter III"). With this concession won by the USA from the ICAO, airport authorities will have to demonstrate by studying the impact of noise pollution to prove that all other measures for reducing noise in airports have been taken. French sources explained that this restriction decision will be based on the results of this study carried out by a "competent authority", which could be the State, in France for example, or another authority, if the State decides to delegate this responsibility.
On the basis of very selective criteria laid out by the European Parliament, four "urban airports" (Berlin-Tempelhof, Stockhom Bromma, London City and Belfast City) will be able to apply stricter rules. Developing countries will benefit from a 10 year exemption period for aeroplanes already registered in their countries and which were already flying to European airports involved in the scheme before December 2001. The Directive is expected to be published in the Official Journal on 1 April and enforced by Member States before 1 January 2003. The Commission will present an assessment report in five years on the programme.
Should be published in the Official Journal by 1 April 2002 and be transposed into Member States' legislation by 1 January 2003. The Commission will publish an assessment in five years time.
The President of the Council, Francisco Alvarez Cascos, hailed the outcome which will help cut noise pollution for people living close to airports, bring the EU into line with international standards and end the dispute with the United States. It also showed that Parliament and Council can make important progress when they work together, pulling in the same direction. The text sets identical rules for all airports and respects internal market rules by avoiding unfair competition between airports, stresses the Commission.
Belgium justified its abstention in a note stressing that the directive does not foresee a compulsory threshold for protecting against the damaging impact of aircraft, and in view of inter-airport competition does not allow genuine progress in terms of protecting the populations concerned. The Belgian transport minister Isabelle Durant felt that the directive was only a first step, and called for the Commission to rapidly publish new proposals to set minimum noise exposure standards. Belgium abstained from the vote, explained Ms Durant, because the directive does not challenge the measures currently taken at national level. EUROPE notes that the agreement with the ICAO on noise was negotiated by the Commission and the Belgian Presidency last year, and the Presidency hailed the agreement.