WRITTEN QUESTION P-3324/00 by Bernd Lange (PSE) to the Commission. Noise emitted by high-speed trains.
Date: 2000-10-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: codecision procedure, high-speed transport, noise

C 151 E/136

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

22.5.2001

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(8 December 2000)

To establish the forecast supply balance, the Commission receives regular updates from the competent
the balance for
authorities on the implementation of
2000/2001 was based, amongst other things, on a communication of 5 May 2000 which gave a quantity
of 6 500 tonnes for 1999/2000.

the supply programme. The drawing up of

On 14 June 2000, the Ministry of Agriculture sent the Commission justification from the autonomous
region of the Azores for a supply requirement of 9 000 tonnes in 2000/2001. The Commission considered
this request and concluded that the real consumption of the Azores did not justify such an increase in
supply requirements, because from the information provided no justification for the increase in local
consumption could be identified.

Taking into account the local production of sugar beet, a quantity of 6 500 tonnes for import require-
ments is more than sufficient for the marketing year in question.

(2001/C 151 E/153)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3324/00

by Bernd Lange (PSE) to the Commission

(18 October 2000)

Subject: Noise emitted by high-speed trains

It has come to my knowledge that specifications relating to noise emitted by high-speed trains (TSI) are to
be drawn up to supplement Directive 96/48/EC (1), but only within the framework of technical adaptation.

Is this true? If so, what leads the Commission to believe that in this instance it can decide to exclude the EP
and the Council by not applying the codecision procedure?

(1) OJ L 235, 17.9.1996, p. 6.

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(28 November 2000)

Council Directive 96/48/EC of 23 July 1996 on the interoperability of the trans-European high-speed rail
system (1) provides for means of preparing and adopting technical specifications for interoperability (TSI).
Among other factors those TSIs include the conditions to be met by the trans-European high-speed railway
systems basic parameters. One of the basic parameters mentioned in Annex II to the Directive concerns
the (cid:145)boundary characteristics linked to outside noise(cid:146). It is against this legal background that the TSIs will
lay down the sound emission level to be complied with by the rolling stock on a reference infrastructure
and, if necessary, the specifications to be met by the infrastructure in order that the overall sound emission
level generated might be acceptable. The draft TSIs will be the subject of a consultation of the Member
States within the Committee set up under Directive 96/48/EC, as provided for in Article 6, paragraph 1, of
said Directive. As stipulated by the interinstitutional agreement on the Committee procedure, Parliament is
kept informed of the activities of that Committee.

Moreover, there is no provision that the TSIs are to lay down the acceptable level perceived by the local
inhabitants since such a level greatly depends upon local conditions and is left to the Member States.
However, the Commission recently put forward noise indicators and methods of assessing the perceived
noise, but it does not propose that any boundary values be set for the noise indicators defined. This
proposal for a Directive (2) is currently being submitted for a Parliament and Council co-decision. In the
if adopted and implemented, that Directive could form the basis for laying down such
longer term,
boundary values.

(1) OJ L 235, 17.9.1996; OJ L 262, 16.10.1996.
(2) COM(2000) 468 final.