WRITTEN QUESTION E-1703/03

by Juan Naranjo Escobar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(22 May 2003)

Subject: Stress in Europe

Millions of Europeans suffer from stress, at a cost to the economy of billions of euros. This alarming situation calls for urgent action to be taken to remedy an ill that blights the lives of many of our citizens.

The Commission recognises the importance of stress as a work-related health problem in its communication Adapting to change in work and society: a new Community strategy on health and safety at work 2002-2006, with regard to which, in its Resolution of 23 October 2002, Parliament called on the Commission to allocate the resources necessary to reflect the high priority to be accorded to occupational health and safety and to urgently draw up a detailed action plan with financial and timing commitments against each major proposal.

Can the Commission indicate what tangible actions it has undertaken to combat a problem which affects millions of people and engenders significant health risks at work?

Does it intend to present any measures that would improve health at work and mitigate new health risks in the world of work, including that of stress?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(14 July 2003)

The Commission agrees with the Honourable Member that stress is a major scourge that affects European workers and citizens. Therefore, several policy measures have been put forward to counteract stress and promote well-being at European level.

First of all, the Commission produced Guidance on work-related stress(1). This Guidance provides general information on the causes, manifestations and consequences of work-related stress, both for workers and work organisations. It also offers general advice on how work-related stress problems and their causes can be identified, and proposes a practical and flexible framework for action that can be adapted to suit national and individual company situations. The focus is on primary prevention of work-related stress, rather than on treatment. The Guidance is of a non-binding nature and is addressed to Member States and their social partners.

Working on stress was the main topic of the 2002 European Week for Safety and Health at Work. The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, which was in charge of the co-ordination of the Week, set up a website(2), organised a good practice award scheme and disseminated information and education materials. A wide range of activities, involving different types of organisations, companies and individuals, took place in the Member States.

Stress is one of the themes which the interprofessional social partners at European level are addressing as part of their autonomous work programme 2003-2005. The Commission also launched a consultation of the European social partners on this subject, under Article 138(2) of the EC Treaty, at the end of 2002. The Commission regards the consultation document as a means of contributing to the discussions of the social partners within the framework of their work programme and of supporting their own joint initiatives on the issue of stress at work. Following a seminar organised by the social partners at the end of February 2003, the Commission anticipates a joint response by the social partners by mid-2003.

(1) European Commission: Guidance on work-related stress. Spice of life or kiss of death? Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2000.

(2) http://osha.eu.int/ew2002/.