Members of the European Parliament's Employment and Social Policy Committee (EMPL) overwhelmingly approved on Thursday 11 June the classification of the SARS-CoV-2 virus as a Group 3 biological agent under Directive 2000/54/EC on the protection of workers from risks related to exposure to biological agents at work; not without having obtained guarantees from the Commission, in particular with a view to a possible future revision of the text.
MEPs rejected by 35 votes against, 5 in favour (GUE/NGL) and 15 abstentions (Greens/EFA, S&D) the objection proposed by Daniela Rondinelli (NI, Italy). The Greens/EFA and S&D groups, which were at one time opposed to a category 3 classification of the virus (see EUROPE 12498/3), dissociated themselves from the objection, having obtained from the Commission the application of Article 10 of the directive, normally intended for category 4 biological agents (such as the Ebola virus), requiring Member States to include written instructions for workers in all workplaces.
The only exception is paragraph 1 (b) of Article 10. This provision refers to instructions for workers handling a Group 4 agent. The Commission will strongly encourage Member States to ensure that written instructions are provided to all workers exposed to SARS-CoV-2, as also recommended in the EU guidelines on worker protection. The Commission is preparing a statement to this effect, which could be submitted to the College on Wednesday 17 June.
"The Directive applies to all workers, not only those who work directly with Covid-19 patients like health and care professionals, but also workers on the frontline in food processing, the retail sector and transport", welcomed Petra de Sutter (Greens/EFA, Belgium) in a statement.
Above all, they also obtained a commitment from the Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, to assess the need to amend the directive in the light of the lessons learned from the Covid-19 crisis. In fact, several MEPs consider that the directive is not adapted to pandemic situations, in particular in that it takes several months to make an amendment binding (8 months at the very least).
Member States' Ambassadors to the EU will discuss the issue of classification at the Committee of Permanent Representatives meeting on 17 June. Normally, this is an agreement without discussion. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)