News item | 06-12-2024 | 4:00 PM
The government wants to allow a maximum of 478,000 aircraft movements at Schiphol from next year. The government wants to reduce the number of people seriously inconvenienced around the airport by 15%. The remaining 5% of the total noise target will be completed later.
The government has set two goals for the Schiphol dossier: restore legal protection for local residents and reduce noise pollution by 20%. In September, a package of measures was submitted to the European Commission to reduce noise.
The maximum number of flight movements is the final part of that package and is the outcome of the calculations that the cabinet carried out in recent months. Agreements have been made with sector parties about the principles for the calculations and various experts have taken a look at this.
In September, the government assumed a reduction of 17% and a bandwidth of 475,000 to 485,000 flight movements. That bandwidth was maintained because the calculations were not yet stable. Calculations that have been carried out since then showed that the number of flight movements would have to drop to 467,000 to achieve the 17%.
The government has therefore reconsidered all interests involved, including both local residents and the sector. The government sees a serious risk that a figure below the bandwidth would be unacceptable in the European procedure and therefore for the chance of success. Then the restoration of rights for local residents and the reduction of noise would disappear further from the picture. In the government’s view, a number of flight movements below the bandwidth would now be too great a burden for the sector.
That is why the cabinet has decided to now fulfill 15% of the noise target. The total target of 20% remains intact, and during this cabinet term the cabinet wants to make a decision on how to fill the last 5%.
The measures that are now being taken are not without obligation and will be monitored. The government makes binding agreements with parties from the sector, such as KLM and Schiphol, to ensure that the effect of the measures is actually achieved.
Minister Madlener of Infrastructure and Water Management: “I understand that some local residents had hoped that the noise around Schiphol would be further limited. On the other hand, these are drastic measures for the sector. I am convinced that we have achieved a good balance with this decision. And the noise target of 20% remains intact.”