European Safety and Health Legislation
Based on Article 153 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (ex Article 137 TEC) a wide variety of Community measures in the field of safety and health at work have been adopted. European directives are legally binding and have to be transposed into national laws by the Member States. The framework directive with its wide scope of application as well as further directives on specific safety and health issues is the cornerstone of European safety and health legislation. These directives set out minimum requirements and fundamental principles, such as the principle of prevention and risk assessment, as well as the responsibilities of employers and employees. Moreover, a series of European guidelines aim to facilitate the implementation of European directives as well as European standards which are adopted by European standards organisations.
The following sections provide information on European legislation, its implementation and other practical documents on safety and health at work.
Further information on safety and health at work can also be found at the webpage of the European Commission, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities.
The new Commission’s strategy 2007-2012 defines a series of measures at European and national level with a view to achieve an overall 25% reduction of occupational accidents and diseases in the EU.
For information on international law in the area of safety and health at work visit the website of the International Labour Organization (ILO).
