MEP Peter Agius Calls for Enforcement of EU Noise Pollution Rules on Rest Times and Legal Noise Limits

The European Parliament will hear and debate a petition on this issue on 20 February.

The European Parliament’s Petitions Committee will discuss Petition 1150/2024, submitted by MEP Peter Agius and Nationalist MP Albert Buttigieg, which calls for the implementation of EU Directive 2002/49/EC on environmental noise in Malta.

Submitted on behalf of thousands of residents, the petition demands immediate action to ensure effective control of noise pollution.

Residents across Malta and Gozo are enduring long hours of amplified music and noisy roadworks, while Maltese authorities fail to enforce noise level regulations, both during the afternoon and even at night—times when action plans are mandatory under European directives.

The “Noise Action Plan for Malta Agglomeration 2019-2024” has yet to be implemented, leaving residents exposed to excessive noise levels without adequate protection.

MEP Peter Agius stated:
“Every week, I receive messages or phone calls from people rightly complaining that the authorities are ignoring their pleas against excessive noise. After studying the situation, we realized that the Maltese government is failing to implement EU standards on noise levels and rest times. This is why enforcement officers are powerless to act. Thousands of families across Malta are being deprived of their fundamental right to a quiet environment. EU laws exist to protect citizens, and Malta must enforce them.”

The petition before the European Parliament urges the European Commission to investigate Malta’s non-compliance, enforce noise control measures, and explore remedies for affected residents.

MEP Agius added:
“Let’s defend our right to a quieter and healthier environment. I urge everyone to support this cause by signing the online petition. This will send a strong signal that we must enjoy our rights within the EU!”

The petition can be signed directly on the European Petitions website or via an online campaign at the following links:

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/petitions/en/petition/content/1150%252F2024/html/Petition-No-1150%252F2024-by-M.-Z.-%2528Maltese%2529-on-the-implementation-of-the-Environmental-Noise-Directive-in-Malta

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSexDxExafE0l5Ya6TmOaDUIVF_M4rUIADsVv0tPrWSPPipFGA/viewform