In this new Focus, EUROGIP takes stock of the European Commission’s 2021-2027 strategic framework on health and safety at work.

This strategic framework aims to mobilise the EU institutions, Member States, social partners and other stakeholders on the challenges and key actions to be implemented around three cross-cutting objectives:

• anticipating and managing change in the new world of work
• improving the prevention of accidents at work and occupational diseases
• strengthening preparedness for possible future health crises.

In this new Focus, EUROGIP – which is also associated with the corresponding Task Force – reports on the new European Occupational Diseases Statistics (EODS) pilot project.

The aim is to collect national data in a single database and to provide trends on the most recognised occupational diseases (ODs) at European level.

In the 2000s, such an experiment had already been attempted. However, Eurostat was forced to discontinue its publications due to the non-comparability of the countries between them. Today, it proposes to experiment with a new, simpler and more reliable data collection.

In this new Focus, EUROGIP analyses the major changes that the new Machinery Regulation would bring for the different economic operators.

The current Directive establishes a regulatory framework to ensure the free movement of machinery within the European internal market and a high level of protection for users and other exposed persons. Various impact studies initiated in 2016 with interested parties concluded that the text needed to be improved, simplified and adapted to the needs of the market.

For example, the European Commission published a proposal for a Regulation on machinery and related products on 21 April 2021. By proposing a regulation, it avoids the cumbersome process of transposing a directive. All elements of the new machinery regulation, once adopted, will become mandatory and directly applicable in each EU Member State.

It is important to note that the points mentioned are likely to change between now and the publication of the final version of the regulation. Discussions, which are now taking place at the level of the European Council and the European Parliament, are expected to continue until the second half of 2022.

In this new Focus, EUROGIP – which is also associated with the corresponding Task Force – reports on the new European Occupational Diseases Statistics (EODS) pilot project.

The aim is to collect national data in a single database and to provide trends on the most recognized occupational diseases at European level.

In the 2000s, such an experiment had already been attempted. However, Eurostat was forced to discontinue its publications due to the non-comparability of the countries between them. Today, it proposes to experiment with a new, simpler and more reliable data collection.

EUROGIP has published its annual activity report for 2020. After a reminder of what EUROGIP is, the document presents the highlights according to its activities, which have as a common denominator the prevention or insurance of occupational risks in Europe:

• External relations & communication
• Information & monitoring
• Studies & surveys
• Projects of Community interest
• Work on standardisation of the SST of the Assurance maladie – risques professionnels
• Coordination of notified bodies for the regulatory certification of machinery and personal protective equipment.

In 2020, the health crisis had a clear impact on the achievement of the objectives initially set. In addition, EUROGIP has been very active in playing its role as a resource centre. It has collected and disseminated information on measures implemented outside our borders to prevent the risks of contamination at work, on the mechanisms for recognising Covid-19 as an occupational injury or on the regulations applicable to protective masks.

“More than ever, it seemed essential to have extra-national knowledge, while each country had to manage the crisis and, for the most part, innovate in their insurance and prevention practices”, says Raphaël Haeflinger, Director of EUROGIP.

You will discover a reminder of what EUROGIP is in 5 points and the highlights of the year 2019 according to its activities, which have as a common denominator the prevention or insurance of occupational risks in Europe:

• Information & monitoring
• Studies & Surveys
• European Projects
• International relations of the Occupational injuries Branch
• Communication & Public Relations
• Standardization in occupational health and safety
• Coordination of notified bodies for machinery & personal protective equipment.

Any initiatives aimed at the rigorous monitoring of occupational risks and accident occurrence should be encouraged in order to better prevent them. But the EUROGIP Executive Board warns about an international standardization of occupational safety and health (OSH) statistics in a position paper on 31 January 2020.