Tailwind for Mental Health?
EU decision-makers discuss mental health in the workplace.
RH – 02/2024
According to the European Agency for Safety
and Health at Work (EU-OSHA),
psychosocial risks are amongst the greatest challenges to the health and safety
of employees. These risks appear to have increased since the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a survey conducted by EU-OSHA in 2022, 27 % of European employees reported that
they had suffered from anxiety, depression or work-related stress during the
previous twelve months. This could also have physical health consequences. There is also a risk of cardiovascular, muscular or skeletal disorders.
High-level conference on mental health and work
The Belgian Council Presidency devoted a
separate high-level
conference to the issue of mental health in the workplace, which was held
on 30 and 31 January. The European Commission and representatives from the
member states met there to discuss preventive measures for promoting the mental
health of employees with the European social partners and health and safety
experts.
A comprehensive approach to mental health
The European Commission published a communiqué covering its comprehensive approach to mental health, which also included
initiatives and campaigns for dealing with psychosocial risks in the workplace
back in June 2023. The Council published its own conclusions about the link between mental health and employment in October
2023. In particular, it focused on controlling precarious working relationships
as a means of preventing psychosocial risks (see News
11/2023 as well). Mental health, including that in the workplace, has long
been on the European Parliament's agenda.
Possibility of a European legal framework
During the high-level conference, EU
decision-makers and stakeholders also expressed their views about a possible
regulatory approach to confronting the psychosocial risks in the workplace. The
view of Nicolas Schmit, EU Commissioner for Employment and Social Rights, is
that a European instrument or directive could prove useful in raising the profile
and improving the issue of mental health. Nicolas Schmit, who is the S&D
group's top candidate, is also in the running to become the next president of
the EC. It does not seem out of question to assume that a new commission
will not only prioritise mental health, but also consider taking legislative action.