European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (amend. Regulation (EC) No 2062/94)

The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Stephen HUGHES (PES, UK) making some amendments to the Commission’s proposal. (Please see the summary of 31/03/2005.) A new recital states that in order to achieve the goals set out above, the Agency needs not only to collect and disseminate information, but also to analyse information, identify risks and good practices and promote preventive action. In this respect it is important to clarify that the Agency has the role of a "risk observatory" and that it should analyse risks, in particular emerging ones, and promote preventive action. Risks to workers' family members should be included in its remit. Particular attention should also be paid to genotoxicity risks which may have consequences for the offspring of an affected worker.

In addition, the Agency will engage in the exchange of information and experience, by way of the systematic collection of data, with the support of Eurostat, amongst the Member States in the field of safety and health at work, including information on training programmes. The Agency will promote harmonisation of statistics on work-related accidents and illnesses in order to eliminate existing disparities when evaluating and analysing them.

The Member States will regularly inform the Agency of the main components of their national health and safety at work information networks, including any institution which in their judgement could contribute to the work of the Agency, taking into account the need to ensure the fullest possible coverage of their territory.

Finally, the Bureau will be composed of 11 members.