Summary:
Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019 aiming to limit workers' exposure to five cancer-causing chemicals.
Further information:
This Directive aims to improve workers’ health protection by reducing occupational exposure to five carcinogenic chemical agents, to provide more clarity for workers, employers and enforcers, and to contribute to a level playing field for economic operators.
The social partners, workers' and employers' organisations, confirmed that the five following carcinogens selected for the third amendment of the Directive were of high relevance for the protection of workers and encouraged the European Commission to continue the preparatory work for the establishment of occupational exposure limit values ('OELs') for:
- Cadmium and its inorganic compounds under the scope of the Directive;
- Beryllium and inorganic beryllium compounds under the scope of the Directive;
- Arsenic acid and its salts, as well as inorganic arsenic compounds under the scope of the Directive;
- Formaldehyde;
- 4,4'-Methylene-bis(2-chloroaniline) ('MOCA') 13.
Background:
The Commission had already previously taken steps to address these issues by adopting two legislative proposals updating Directive 2004/37/EC, in May 2016 and in January 2017 respectively, addressing together 20 carcinogens. The latest amendment is the result of a two-stage consultation of the European Social Partners in 2017, firstly on the possible direction of European Union action concerning further revisions of the Directive, and secondly on its possible content.
The draft law was proposed by the European Commission on 5 April 2018. The European Parliament adopted its negotiating position in November and the Council of the European Union adopted its general approach on 6 December. An informal agreement between the institutions on a compromise text was reached on 29 January 2019.
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