09/12/2005 (Agence Europe) On 8 December, the Council of the EU approved two directives on consumer protection without debate. The first, a Directive amending Community rules on noise caused by outdoor machines, modified current rules in the “noise directive” (2000/14/EC) for types of equipment where permissible sound power levels apply, mainly in order to allow certain types of equipment to be placed on the market and /or put into service in the EU from 3 January 2006 and to provide the Commission with sufficient time to fulfil its obligations on reporting and collection of data. The second Directive updated the list of dangerous substances contained in Directive 76/769/EEC in order to restrict their use in preparations marketed for sale to the public. The Directive will insert 346 entries containing substances newly classified or re-classified, only 42 of which relate to substances that have never before been subject to restrictions for sale.