EU Strategic Framework 2021 - 2027.

On 29 October 2020, the European Commission presented its "roadmap" for a new strategic framework for health and safety at work and initiated a consultation on this subject, in which the German Social Insurance also participated by presenting its opinion.

The German Social Insurance welcomes the initiative of the European Commission to present a new strategic framework for safety and health at work. The setting of common policy objectives in a strategic framework can help to maintain and develop the high occupational health and safety standards for workers in the EU, to reduce occupational accidents and work-related diseases and to tap the health-promoting potential inherent in work.

It is also to be welcomed that the new strategy should also address new risks, such as those arising from new forms of work and technologies, digitisation and the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to traditional risks such as exposure to hazardous substances at work. One example of this is the increasing mental stress caused by technical and organisational change, globalisation and digitisation.

Accidents at work in the EU

There are still too many victims of accidents at work despite significant progress in reducing the number of accidents at work in the EU over recent decades. According to the European Commission, there were around 3,000 fatal accidents and around 3.2 million non-fatal accidents in the EU in 2017 resulting in at least four days of absence from work. The economic cost of work-related illness and accidents in the EU-28 amounts to 476 billion euros per year, or 3.3 per cent of the GDP.

Including "Vision Zero" prevention strategy

Further efforts must be made despite significant reductions in the number of fatal and non-fatal accidents at work in the past. The aim must be to avoid fatal and serious accidents at work and occupational diseases in line with the "Vision Zero" prevention strategy.

With the new strategic framework, the European Commission aims to contribute to improving health and safety at work, including the prevention of occupational accidents and preventable work-related illnesses. Therefore, the approaches of the 'Vision Zero' prevention strategy should be incorporated into the strategy in order to promote a culture of prevention, as also requested by the Council in its conclusions on the new strategic framework of 10 December 2019.

With the new strategic framework, the European Commission aims to contribute to improving health and safety at work, including the prevention of occupational accidents and preventable work-related illnesses. Therefore, the approaches of the 'Vision Zero' prevention strategy should be incorporated into the strategy in order to promote a culture of prevention, as also requested by the Council in its conclusions on the new strategic framework of 5 December 2019.

Next steps

As foreseen in the roadmap, the European Commission plans to initiate a public consultation in the fourth quarter of 2020. It will then present the new strategic framework in the second quarter of 2021.