On 22 July 2026, the Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper) endorsed a final compromise text for a directive amending Directive 2004/37/EC on the protection of workers from carcinogens and mutagens. The Council Presidency subsequently transmitted the agreed text, along with an annex, to the Chair of the European Parliament's Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL), moving the file toward a final agreement between the two institutions.
The proposed directive adds new substances and sets updated occupational exposure limit values in Annexes I, III and IIIa of the existing legislation. The revision aims to strengthen worker protection against cancer-causing agents, a long-standing priority in EU occupational safety and health policy. The compromise text reflects negotiations between the Council and the European Parliament, with the EMPL Committee now expected to review the text and prepare a vote in plenary.
Policy orientations and trade-offs The update balances public health objectives with feasibility for industry. Setting lower limit values for substances such as respirable crystalline silica and certain diesel engine exhaust emissions reduces workers' cancer risk but imposes compliance costs on employers in sectors like construction, mining, and manufacturing. The compromise text includes transitional periods for some sectors to adapt monitoring and ventilation systems, reflecting a trade-off between ambition and economic practicability.
Stakeholder impact - Workers: Benefit from reduced exposure to carcinogens, lowering long-term health risks. However, implementation depends on effective enforcement by national authorities. - Employers in construction and manufacturing: Face new compliance costs for monitoring equipment, ventilation upgrades, and personal protective equipment. Transitional periods mitigate immediate financial pressure. - EU regulatory bodies: The European Commission and EU-OSHA will need to update guidance documents and support member states in transposition. - National authorities: Must transpose the directive into national law and ensure enforcement, requiring additional inspection resources.
Institutional follow-up The EMPL Committee is expected to schedule a vote on the compromise text in the coming weeks. If approved, the European Parliament will hold a plenary vote, likely in the autumn of 2026. The Council will then formally adopt the directive, after which member states will have two years to transpose it into national legislation.