EU-OSHA has a national focal point in each Member State, whose details can be freely accessed.
Nominated by each government as EU-OSHA’s official representative in that country, the focal points are typically the competent national authority for safety and health at work and are primary contributors to the implementation of EU-OSHA’s work programmes.
What is the legal basis for national focal points?
Council Regulation (EC) No 2062/94 of 18 July 1994 establishing a European Agency for Safety and Health at Work requires the establishment of a national focal point that is the competent national authority or a national institution designated by them.
The national focal point is obliged to take into account the point of view of social partners at national level in accordance with national legislation and/or practice.
How do national focal points operate?
Each focal point manages its own tripartite network comprising government bodies and representatives from worker and employer organisations. The national network reflects the situation in the Member State and is not set by EU-OSHA.
This network provides input to EU-OSHA’s work and the mechanism to disseminate products and information to national stakeholders. In addition, the focal points are active in the planning and implementation of EU-OSHA campaigns as well as nominating national experts to the Agency’s groups and seminars.
What about non-Member States?
Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, as EEA countries, also have national focal points that participate fully in the EU-OSHA focal point network, and are treated in the same way as Member States. Switzerland, as an EFTA country, also participates in the EU-OSHA focal point network.
EU-OSHA also has national focal points from the region of the Western Balkans and Türkiye through a programme funded by the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA). Currently the following countries participate: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Kosovo (under UNSCR 1244/99), Montenegro, Serbia, and Türkiye.
The purpose of this cooperation is to prepare these countries for a future full participation in EU-OSHA’s network and to contribute to the development of a risk prevention culture. The supported activities are mostly related to information exchange and OSH awareness-raising activities in line with the Healthy Workplaces Campaigns.