In line with the “Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan” and the European communication “Asbestos Free Europe,” the Commission has published a new recommendation (2025/2609) on the European list of occupational diseases.

Stating that “occupational cancer is the leading cause of work-related mortality in the EU, mainly due to exposure to carcinogens such as asbestos,” the Commission has issued a new recommendation that adds several asbestos-related occupational diseases to:

• the European list of occupational diseases (Annex I)
• the supplementary list of diseases suspected of being work-related, which should be reported and whose inclusion in Annex I of the European list could be considered in the future (Annex II)

Background

Since 1990, the European Commission has adopted several recommendations concerning the European list of occupational diseases. While Recommendation 90/326/EEC of 22 May 1990 expressed the desire to establish a common list for European Union countries, it was Recommendation 2003/670/EC of 19 September 2003 that made this wish a reality.

In response to the pandemic, the list was first updated in 2022 to include COVID-19 (Recommendation 2022/2337 of November 28, 2022). In 2025, Recommendation 2025/2609 updated the list once again, focusing on occupational diseases related to asbestos.

Main changes

The 2025 recommendation adds four new asbestos-related occupational diseases to the European list of occupational diseases (Annex I):

• 311 – Laryngeal cancer caused by asbestos
• 312 – Ovarian cancer caused by asbestos
• 313 – Pleural plaques with functional impairment of the lungs caused by asbestos
• 314 – Non-malignant pleural effusion caused by asbestos

It should be noted that laryngeal cancer was previously included in the supplementary list (2.308 of Annex II in 2022).

Three new cancers suspected of being linked to asbestos have been added to the supplementary list (Annex II):

• 2.309 – Colon cancer caused by asbestos
• 2.310 – Rectal cancer caused by asbestos
• 2.311 – Stomach cancer caused by asbestos

Member States are invited to inform the Commission, by 31 December 2026, of the measures taken or planned to address these diseases.

Information on the recommendation of November 28, 2022

Access the recommendation of December 18, 2025