On 15 April, Belgian S&D MEP Estelle Ceulemans will present her legislative own-initiative draft report on psychosocial risks at work, as part of a wider conference which will also welcome the Director of the EU Agency for Health and Safety at Work.
In her draft report, which suggests a proposal for a directive to the European Commission, the Belgian MEP stresses that work-related psychosocial risks “represent a growing challenge for occupational safety and health in the European Union. Profound changes in work organisation, management practices and employment conditions have significantly increased exposure to work-related psychosocial risks across sectors and occupations”.
These risks stem mainly from the organisation, design and management of work, as well as the social and relational context in which it is carried out and working conditions.
She also notes “excessive workloads and work intensity, lack of autonomy, long working hours, job insecurity, adverse social behaviours, and lack of appropriate rewards and recognition resulting from poor performance and evaluation systems are recognised psychosocial risk factors from which psychosocial risks emanate”. All of these factors contribute to “work-related stress, burnout, harassment, violence and discrimination, which have serious and long-term consequences for workers’ mental and physical health, including anxiety disorders, depression, cardiovascular diseases and long-term work incapacity”.
The draft report states that the current European framework, in particular Directive 89/391/EEC, does not include sufficiently specific, binding or harmonised provisions for dealing with work-related psychosocial risks.
“Furthermore, the implementation of the European social partners’ agreements on work-related stress and on harassment and violence at work remains uneven across Member States and sectors, resulting in divergent levels of protection for workers. Recent developments linked to digitisation have further intensified work-related psychosocial risks”.
The draft directive thus proposes a mandatory assessment of psychosocial risks by employers at least once a year and when significant changes occur to the organisation of work and in the event of organisational restructuring.
On the basis of the psychosocial risk assessment, employers should also adopt an annual action plan setting out concrete measures to prevent, eliminate or reduce work-related psychosocial risks. “The action plan shall include, where relevant: (a) measures to reduce excessive workload, workforce shortages, work intensity and reduce monotonous work; (b) limitations on overtime and unpredictable working hours; (c) effective implementation of the right to disconnect.”
The report also states that “any restructuring, reorganisation of work or introduction of surveillance or digital management technologies shall be subject to a prior psychosocial risk assessment”.
This draft report forms part of the ‘Quality Jobs’ package and the legislative proposal promised by the European Commission for the end of 2026. The Commission is due to launch the second consultation of the European social partners shortly.
Read the report: https://aeur.eu/f/lbt (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)