Debate: Protection of workers from the risks relating to exposure to carcinogens, mutagens and reprotoxins at work
Date: THURSDAY, 17 FEBRUARY 2022
Speaker: Nicolas Schmit
Language: EN

This fourth update of the carcinogens and mutagens directive revises the limit values for three key carcinogens widely used in the EU, and we estimate that it will improve the protection of more than one million workers in the EU. And I’m very pleased to see that both the European Parliament and the Council supported these limit values throughout the discussions. But we also went much further in this update, and I thank the Parliament and particularly the rapporteur, and I wish you all well, having listened to your personal experience, as well as the former president of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs for the very ambitious approach of the Parliament. Firstly, the co—legislators agreed to include the reprotoxic substances in the scope of the directive. We will now be working further on putting in motion this amendment. Another substantial point of discussion was the protection of workers, including nurses, from the exposure to hazardous medicinal products. We all agree that as soon as these medicinal products have carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic properties, they fall within the scope of the carcinogens and mutagens directive. However – and I must say, I appreciate that very much – your negotiators in the trilogue strongly defended the need to ensure a higher degree of clarity on this specific aspect, and for that reason, both the co—legislators and the Commission agreed on making statements to clarify this. The provisional agreement includes reinforced training measures and, among other elements, the publication of guidelines, and I am strongly committed to publish these guidelines by the end of this year. We have to better protect those who every day take care of those patients who need these treatments. But we know now better than ever, the crucial role of health workers – and it has been mentioned by the rapporteur – who every day take risks to bring health to those who suffer from cancer, and it is not acceptable that they have to take these risks. So, these guidelines will be clear and they have not just to be there, they have to be implemented and their implementation also has to be controlled. The third substantial point in this discussion, was the introduction of a new methodology for setting limit values at the EU level, a so—called risk—based methodology. On this issue, we all realised that we will still need time to assess the relevance of such an approach, and we will continue our work on this topic. This provisional agreement also provides that the Commission reviews the limit value for respirable crystalline silica and adopts an action plan this year for proposing, where appropriate, new or updates of limit values for an additional 25 substances. And as I mentioned already, this is already the fourth revision of the carcinogens and mutagens directive, and since 2016, the Commission has submitted proposals to address 30 chemicals. In addition, as announced in the new EU strategic framework on health and safety at work, we have already planned the fifth revision addressing five additional chemicals and therefore such an action plan is fully in line with the Commission’s desire to constantly improve the protection of workers against occupational cancer. Mr President, honourable Members, before concluding, I would like to highlight the key and constructive role again played by both the European Parliament and the Council because this proposal was adopted and approved at the Council level by unanimity, which shows that everybody now is aware of the importance of what we are doing here. The provisional agreement we have before us today is ambitious and it is another significant step forward in improving the health of EU workers. And it shows also that Europe cares about the health of its citizens and workers. And, therefore, I am confident that you, Members of the European Parliament, will largely support this text so that it will turn into practical measures on the ground very quickly.