Eliminating occupational cancer in Europe and globally

Introduction

The cancer epidemic is a major public health concern all over the world. There is an increasing awareness of the role of working conditions as a central determinant of social inequalities with regard to cancer. Twenty five years ago, the European Union adopted its first global directive for improving the workplace prevention of work-related cancer. At the time, it was an important contribution to modern legislation on workers’ protection. For many stakeholders, it is time to adapt the legislation and the policy to the new knowledge and emerging risks. This working paper presents arguments for a stronger policy with an ambitious goal: the elimination of…