Brussels, 21/06/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 21 June, the European Commission requested Italy and the United Kingdom to fulfil their obligations under EU law by implementing fully into national law a 2009 directive on protecting workers from hazardous chemicals. The directive sets indicative limits for 19 chemicals to which workers can be exposed in the course of their work and complements the indicative limits for potentially hazardous chemicals set by previous directives.
The request to the UK concerns only the maritime sector, since national provisions have already been adopted for all other sectors. The deadline for member states to implement the directive was 18 December 2011. Failure to implement the directive in full may result in workers not being protected from exposure to the hazardous chemical substances in question. The Commission's requests take the form of reasoned opinions, the last stage before the Commission possibly decides on a referral to the EU's Court of Justice.
In addition, the Commission has sent two reasons opinions to Cyprus and Sweden, calling on them to transpose Directive 2008/104/EC into national law. This defines working and employment conditions for temporary workers and guarantees them a minimum level of protection. (LC/transl.fl)