MEPs at the European Parliament employment and social affairs committee explained in a draft legislative resolution adopted on Tuesday 28 February that the European Commission should also establish limits on exposure at work to reprotoxic substances.
Since 2004, the Commission has been working on value limits to restrict exposure to carcinogenic and mutagenic agents in the workplace, in keeping with its obligations set out in directive 2004/37/EC. Carcinogenic agents are those that lead to increases in cancer, whilst mutagenic agents cause genetic mutations. After 13 years of reflection and consultation, it presented a first package of value limits in May 2016 (see EUROPE 11551) and the second package in January 2017 (see EUROPE 11700).
The vote in Parliament's committee focused on the first package of proposals. In their draft resolution, MEPs called for the introduction of strict limits for three of the substances examined: chromium (VI), wood dust and crystalline silica, a substance known to cause disease and cancers of the respiratory system.
They also recommended the drawing up of exposure limits for reprotoxic substances that are likely to have a damaging impact on reproduction and lead to declines in male and female fertility rates. Marita Ulvskog (S&D, Sweden), now has a mandate for beginning inter-institutional negotiations and explained that, “When it comes to reprotoxic substances there are at least two to three million workers exposed to these substances in the EU. These workers have not had adequate protection and have been seen by the industry sector as collateral damage. We need binding exposure limits for reprotoxic substances."
Her report also calls for measures to ensure appropriate compulsory medical monitoring throughout workers’ lives. MEPs said that every worker should be able to obtain decent medical monitoring throughout their lives either before exposure or at regular intervals during the period of exposure, as well as after exposure and when they retire.
Claude Rolin, the EPP shadow rapporteur explained, "We have been waiting for more than 10 years to have this proposal for a revision. New rules are needed urgently to ensure the efficient protection of workers from harmful substances that may cause cancer or lead to fertility problems. I think the consensus we have reached and adopted today is a significant achievement".
The European Parliament committee, however, did not discuss the allegations of conflicts of interest at the Scientific Committee on Occupational Exposure Limits (SCOEL) in the context of professional exposure limits, even though MEPs had planned to pay “particular attention” to this issue. The rapporteur and shadow rapporteurs in charge of the second package are expected to be appointed sometime in March. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)