Review of the Implementation of Directive 2002/49/EC on Environmental Noise
Task 1 Methodologies
The methodologies to be used in gathering information under task 1 include three strategies, namely: the use of a questionnaire survey; follow up with direct contact; and a review of reports and materials submitted by Member States under the Directive.
Each strategy will be used to gather different types of information. The emphasis of our research is the problems and difficulties experienced by Member States in implementing the Directive and their views on ways in which the END could be improved. The questionnaires and follow up have been used to encourage Member States to provide feedback on the END and to make their proposals for improvements. In order to provide input to tasks 2 and 3, we will also gather information on the approaches taken to implementation, the kinds of measures that have been employed by Member States, and where possible, associated costs and benefits.
Click here to view a list of topics to be addressed in the execution of this task, together with an indication of the strategy for gathering information on each topic.
Questionnaire for Member States
The emphasis of the questionnaire is upon the experiences of Member States in implementing the END, with the objective of obtaining information on difficulties and problems with implementation together with potential solutions. The questionnaire provided an opportunity for Member State officials working to implement the END on the ground to provide input into the review process on what they think should be changed and how the Directive can be improved.
A draft questionnaire was presented to the Commission and revised according to comments. In further refining the questionnaire, the project consortium contacted a small set of key Member State officials to conduct initial framing interviews. We propose to contact France, Spain, Germany, the UK and the Netherlands. The draft questionnaire was then revised according to comments and translated.
The written questionnaires were sent electronically to the Member State officials who participate in the Noise Committee, and to officials identified in the Strategic Noise Maps that were submitted to the Commission by Member States under Data Flow 4.
The questionnaire on implementation of the END is available in English, German, French, Spanish.
Questionnaire follow-up
The project consortium will contact those Member States officials who participate in the Noise Committee in order to clarify aspects regarding the implementation of the key provisions and request further details on specific measures or problems.
Review of Member State reports
In order to answer questions regarding compliance with reporting requirements, we will also review the materials and reports submitted by Member States. This will include reporting on:
- site designation in June 2005,
- assignment of competent authorities in July 2005,
- noise limit values in July 2005
- strategic noise maps in June 2007, and
- site designation and Action Plans in December 2008.
Our investigations will focus primarily on whether the reporting requirements were met, in order to be able to identify whether non-compliance is associated with specific problems reported in the questionnaire.
Analysis of materials
The analysis of resulting materials will generate a comprehensive review of the approaches and methodologies used in implementing the END in each Member State, particularly identifying any difficulties encountered by Member States and cases of non-compliance.
For the review of implementation in each Member State, we will systematically analyse materials emerging from the questionnaires and follow-up and include the information in a chapter on the implementation of the END in each of the 27 Member States.
In going through the materials for each Member State, we will identify possible cases of non- compliance and enter them into a summary excel spreadsheet. This will identify difficulties experienced by Member States in their efforts to implement the Directive's requirements and will assess the reasons for those difficulties. We will draw upon cases where Member States have identified problems and look for correlations with cases of non-compliance, aiming to assess the validity of problems. This sheet will then be supplemented by a chapter outlining the possible consequences of non-compliance.
Based on the review of implementation and an understanding of the difficulties involved in implementing the Directive, we will then propose potential solutions. Proposals will draw on examples of best practice and, where possible, measures that have proven successful.