According to its Article 1, the aim of Directive 2002/49/EC is to define a common approach intended to avoid, prevent or reduce on a prioritised basis the harmful effects, including annoyance, due to exposure to environmental noise. To that end the Member States shall determine the exposure to environmental noise, through noise mapping, by methods of assessment common to the Member States, shall ensure that information on environmental noise and its effects is made available to the public and shall adopt action plans based upon noise-mapping results, with a view to preventing and reducing environmental noise where necessary and particularly where exposure levels can induce harmful effects on human health, and to preserving environmental noise quality where it is good.

According to Article 5 of Directive 2002/49/EC, Member States shall apply the noise indicators (L_den and L_night) referred to in Annex I to that Directive for the preparation and revision of strategic noise mapping in accordance with Article 7.

According to Article 6 of Directive 2002/49/EC, the values of the noise indicators (L_den and L_night) shall be determined by means of the assessment methods defined in Annex II to that Directive.

According to Article 6 of Directive 2002/49/EC, the Commission shall establish common assessment methods for the determination of the noise indicators L_den and L_night through a revision of Annex II.

According to Article 7 of Directive 2002/49/EC, Member States shall ensure that strategic noise maps are made no later than 30 June 2007 and 30 June 2012 and thereafter reviewed, and revised if necessary, at least every 5 years.

Directive 2002/49/EC provides for action plans to be based on strategic noise maps. Strategic noise maps shall be drawn up with the common assessment methods when these methods have been adopted by Member States. However, Member States may use other methods to design measures addressing priorities identified by using the common methods as well as for assessment of other national measures to prevent and reduce environmental noise.

In 2008, the Commission launched the development of the common noise assessment methodological framework through the project ‘Common Noise Assessment Methods in the EU’ (CNOSSOS-EU) led by its Joint Research Centre. The project was carried out in close consultation with the Committee established under Article 18 of Directive 2000/14/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council2, and other experts from Member States. Its results were published in the JRC Reference Report on CNOSSOS-EU3.

The Annex to this Commission Directive sets out the common assessment methods. Member States are required to use these methods from 31 December 2018 onwards.

The assessment methods provided for in the Annex to this Directive are, according to its Article 2, paragraph 1, to be adopted by 31 December 2018 at the latest and until that date Member States may, according to Article 6, paragraph 2 of Directive 2002/49/EC, continue to use the existing assessment methods that they have previously adopted at the national level.

In accordance with Article 12 of Directive 2002/49/EC, the Commission shall adapt Annex II to technical and scientific progress.

Apart from the adaptation to scientific and technical progress in accordance with Article 12 of Directive 2002/49/EC, the Commission shall endeavour to modify the Annex based on the experience from Member States.

The common assessment methods are also to be used for the purpose of other EU legislation where that legislation refers to Annex II to Directive 2002/49/EC.

The measures provided for in this Directive are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee established under Article 13 of Directive 2002/49/EC,