![Limits on exposure to carcinogens and mutagens at work: Fourth proposal [EU Legislation in Progress]](https://i0.wp.com/epthinktank.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/limits-on-exposure-to-carcinogens-and-mutagens-at-work.jpg?fit=512%2C341&ssl=1)
Written by Laurence Amand-Eeckhout (4th edition, updated on 09.10.2023),
In September 2020, as part of the fight against cancer and to protect the health of workers in a number of industries, the European Commission proposed to amend the Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive (Directive 2004/37/EC), expanding its scope and including and/or revising occupational exposure limit values for a number of cancer- or mutation-causing chemical agents.
On 16 December 2021, after interinstitutional negotiations, the Council and the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on the proposal. Parliament approved the agreed text on 17 February 2022; the Council followed on 3 March. The final act was signed on 9 March 2022. Workers will benefit from greater protection, owing to the setting of exposure limits for acrylonitrile and nickel compounds and the lowering of the limits for benzene. The scope of the directive includes reprotoxic substances (which have adverse effects on reproduction and can cause impaired fertility or infertility). Workers who deal with hazardous medicinal products will receive better training on how to handle them safely.
Versions
| Proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2004/37/EC on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens or mutagens at work | ||
| Committee responsible: | Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) | COM(2020) 571 22.9.2020 |
| Rapporteur: | Stefania Zambelli (ID, Italy) | 2020/0262 (COD) |
| Shadow rapporteurs: | Cindy Franssen (EPP, Belgium) Johan Danielsson (S&D, Sweden) Véronique Trillet-Lenoir (Renew, France) Sara Matthieu (Greens/EFA, Belgium) Joanna Kopcińska (ECR, Poland) Nikolaj Villumsen (The Left, Denmark) |
Ordinary legislative procedure (COD) (Parliament and Council on equal footing – formerly ‘co-decision’) |
| Next steps expected: | Directive (EU) 2022/431 OJ L 88, 16.3.2022, pp.1-14 |
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