Within the noise-abating action plans emanating from the European Noise Directive, there is much need for effective and efficient measures to abate traffic noise. In September 2009, the EC-funded project PERSUADE was started with a view to developing the concept of poroelastic road surface (PERS) into a durable, safe and environmentally friendly tool for extreme noise reduction. The main ingredients for PERS are recycled tyre granules and a polymer binder (generally polyurethane, not bitumen). The work will be carried out by a European consortium of twelve partners specialized in different fields and will be coordinated by the Belgian Road Research Centre. This contribution will discuss the state of the art for PERS and outline the working plan for the PERSUADE project.