Legislation on safety and health at work

Under Article 153 of the Treaty on European Union, a wide range of Community measures has been introduced in the field of safety and health at work. European directives are legally binding and the Member States must transpose them into their national legislation.
EU directives lay down minimum requirements and fundamental principles such as the precautionary principle and risk assessment, as well as the responsibilities for employers and employees. A set of European guidelines aims at facilitating the implementation of European directives, and European standards are adopted by European standardization bodies.
More information on the safety and health at work can also be found on the European Commission website, DG Employment and Social Affairs. The strategic framework of the EU health and safety at work for the period 2014-2020 defines strategic targets for reducing accidents at work and occupational diseases in the EU.