This Opinion addresses an environmental issue related to aircraft noise and aircraft engine emissions.
The Opinion is linked to the ICAO State Letters AN 1/17.14 – 14/24 and AN 1/17.14 – 14/25 on the adoption of Amendments 11 and 8 to Annex 16, Volume I and II respectively.
The specific objective is to provide a high uniform level of environmental protection in the European Union as well as a level playing field for all actors in the aviation market by aligning European Union legislation with the latest ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and Guidance Material on aircraft noise and aircraft engine emissions. The new amendments to these SARPs and Guidance Material were approved by the ICAO Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection at its 9th meeting (CAEP/9) in February 2013 and adopted by the ICAO Council at its 201st meeting in March 2014.
Amendment 11 of ICAO Annex 16, Volume I introduces a new Noise Standard for jet and propeller-driven aeroplanes (Chapter 14), which includes an increase in stringency of 7 EPNdB (cumulative) relative to the current Chapter 4 limits. Amendment 11 also upgrades the current guidance for the noise certification of tilt-rotors in Annex 16, Volume I, Attachment F to a new Noise Standard for tilt-rotors (Chapter 13).
Amendment 8 of ICAO Annex 16, Volume II addresses various technical issues arising from the application of the SARPs and related guidance for aircraft engine emissions certification. There are no changes to the emissions limits. All changes to Volume II are considered to be stringency-neutral.
This Opinion proposes the incorporation of CAEP/9 amendments into Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 and into Annex I (Part-21) to Commission Regulation (EU) No 748/2012.
The proposed changes aim to ensure compliance with the latest ICAO SARPs on aircraft noise and aircraft engine emissions, and to provide a level playing field for all actors in the aviation market.
