Limits on exposure to carcinogens and mutagens at work

Briefing 23-06-2016

The European Commission proposes to amend Directive 2004/37/EC by expanding its scope and by including and/or revising occupational limit exposure values for a number of cancer-causing chemical agents in the light of new scientific data. According to the Commission, this would improve workers' health protection, increase the effectiveness of the EU framework and promote clarity for economic operators. The initiative would proceed in two steps, with the current proposal and another to follow later in the year. Broad discussions with scientists and the social partners fed into the proposal, and it has received a broad welcome from stakeholders. Trade unions nonetheless regret that certain substances are not included, and some on the employers' side oppose the limit value for respirable crystalline silica. The legislative process is in its initial stages, with the EMPL Committee to consider the proposal in the coming months. A more recent edition of this document is available. Find it by searching by the document title at this address: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/home.html