A control device for the manipulation of a laser emitter and/or a movement mechanism of a laser machining apparatus, wherein said movement mechanism is connectable to said laser emitter and/or to a workbench in order to control a relative three-dimensional movement between them, comprising: - a box-like body having a supporting base, a cover panel and an elastic return means interposed between said supporting base and said cover panel, said cover panel and said supporting base being movable reciprocally towards and away from each other according to external forces applied by the operator on said cover panel; - at least one manipulation element arranged on the cover panel or on the supporting base protruding beyond the cover panel through a through hole of the same cover panel; - a control unit connected to said box-like body and suitable to be connected to said movement mechanism and/or to said laser emitter, said control unit being configured to generate and send an enabling signal suitable to enable the movement mechanism and/or the laser emitter according to manipulations performed by the operator on said at least one manipulation element connected to said control unit; said enabling signal being suitable to be representative of a movement of said movement mechanism along a vertical direction and/or along one or more horizontal directions and/or a combination thereof and/or of a generation of a laser beam by said laser emitter, wherein said control unit is configurable between an active condition for allowing the sending of said enabling signal, wherein said cover panel and said supporting base are arranged near each other at a minimum distance apart, and an inactive condition for preventing the sending of said enabling signal, wherein said cover panel and said supporting base are positioned away from each other by a distance greater than said minimum distance, wherein said control unit comprises a contact sensor interposed between said supporting base and said cover panel; said contact sensor being configured to detect at least said minimum distance between said cover panel and said supporting base and to allow or not allow the sending of said enabling signal, wherein said cover panel and said supporting base are rotatably connected to each other at a hinge side of the box-like body which is opposite with respect to a portion of said cover panel suitable to be used as a rest for the operator's hands; said cover panel and said supporting base being movable relative to each other with respect to a rotation axis so as to define the active and inactive conditions. - a box-like body having a supporting base, a cover panel and an elastic return means interposed between said supporting base and said cover panel, said cover panel and said supporting base being movable reciprocally towards and away from each other according to external forces applied by the operator on said cover panel; - at least one manipulation element arranged on the cover panel or on the supporting base protruding beyond the cover panel through a through hole of the same cover panel; - a control unit connected to said box-like body and suitable to be connected to said movement mechanism and/or to said laser emitter, said control unit being configured to generate and send an enabling signal suitable to enable the movement mechanism and/or the laser emitter according to manipulations performed by the operator on said at least one manipulation element connected to said control unit; said enabling signal being suitable to be representative of a movement of said movement mechanism along a vertical direction and/or along one or more horizontal directions and/or a combination thereof and/or of a generation of a laser beam by said laser emitter, wherein said control unit is configurable between an active condition for allowing the sending of said enabling signal, wherein said cover panel and said supporting base are arranged near each other at a minimum distance apart, and an inactive condition for preventing the sending of said enabling signal, wherein said cover panel and said supporting base are positioned away from each other by a distance greater than said minimum distance, wherein said control unit comprises a contact sensor interposed between said supporting base and said cover panel; said contact sensor being configured to detect at least said minimum distance between said cover panel and said supporting base and to allow or not allow the sending of said enabling signal, wherein said cover panel and said supporting base are rotatably connected to each other at a hinge side of the box-like body which is opposite with respect to a portion of said cover panel suitable to be used as a rest for the operator's hands; said cover panel and said supporting base being movable relative to each other with respect to a rotation axis so as to define the active and inactive conditions.