Brussels, 04/04/2002 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has decided to send formal requests (infringement proceedings) to Germany, Italy, Greece and Portugal to implement property an EU law limiting noise from certain outdoor equipment after their failure to abide by EU Directive 2000/14/EC on noise levels from a range of outdoor equipment. The four Member States will be sent a "Reasoned Opinion", the second stage of infringement proceedings under Article 226 of the EC Treaty, for failure to transpose the directive in question into their legislation, despite having received an earlier warning. All the Member States in question failed to respond to the initial warning letter sent to them to ask for their comments on why they had not implemented the Directive.
Directive 2000/14/EC aims to harmonise legislation I the Member States on noise from an extensive range of equipment used out of doors (chain saws, concrete mixers, mobile and tower cranes, dumper trucks, hydraulic excavators, refuse collection vehicles, lawnmowers, hedgetrimmers and the like). The deadline for the Member States to adopt the rules was 3 July 2001. The four offending countries have two months to comply with the Reasoned Opinions, failing which the Commission may decide to take the case to the European Court of Justice.