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Document 32007G0630(01)
Council Resolution of 25 June 2007 on a new Community strategy on health and safety at work (2007-2012)
Council Resolution of 25 June 2007 on a new Community strategy on health and safety at work (2007-2012)
Council Resolution of 25 June 2007 on a new Community strategy on health and safety at work (2007-2012)
OJ C 145, 30.6.2007, p. 1–4
(BG, ES, CS, DA, DE, ET, EL, EN, FR, IT, LV, LT, HU, MT, NL, PL, PT, RO, SK, SL, FI, SV)
30.6.2007 |
EN |
Official Journal of the European Union |
C 145/1 |
COUNCIL RESOLUTION
of 25 June 2007
on a new Community strategy on health and safety at work (2007-2012)
(2007/C 145/01)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Commission Communication of 21 February 2007 on improving quality and productivity at work: a Community strategy 2007-2012 on health and safety at work, which is one of the points included in the European Social Agenda,
Whereas:
(1) |
Article 137 of the Treaty establishing the European Community has led to the adoption of a substantial corpus of Community legislation on health and safety at work. |
(2) |
Quality at work has a considerable human, but also an economic dimension, and the Member States have acknowledged under the Lisbon Strategy that health and safety policy makes an important contribution to economic growth and employment. |
(3) |
The European social model is based on a smoothly operating economy, on a high level of social protection and education and on social dialogue, and thus involves improving the quality of employment, particularly health and safety at work. |
(4) |
The European Union has to strengthen the competitiveness of businesses in the light of ongoing demographic change, taking into account the Conclusions of the Stockholm European Council on 23 and 24 March 2001, the Barcelona European Council on 15 and 16 March 2002 and the Brussels European Council on 8 and 9 March 2007. |
(5) |
The new Community strategy on health and safety at work (2007-2012) (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Community strategy’) should promote further progress by building on the momentum created by the previous Community strategy on safety and health at work (2002-2006), which was based on an overall approach to well-being at work and led to relaunched prevention policies and significant improvements. |
(6) |
The implementation of existing legislation remains one of the most important obligations for all Member States to stimulate the creation of a healthy and safe work environment. |
(7) |
The figures for accidents at work and the incidence of occupational illnesses, which differ from Member State to Member State, are still too high in absolute terms in certain sectors and for some categories of workers, and it is therefore important that the new strategy should remedy this situation, |
HEREBY ADOPTS THIS RESOLUTION:
I.
1. |
The Council notes the Commission's opinion that, in order to achieve an ongoing, sustainable and consistent reduction in accidents at work and occupational illnesses, the parties involved must pursue a number of objectives, including:
|
2. |
The Council notes the Commission's opinion that in order to achieve these objectives, an overall approach has to be further developed, taking into account the following areas of action:
|
II.
The Council:
1. |
welcomes the Commission Communication on a new Community strategy on health and safety at work (2007-2012); |
2. |
considers that the Communication in question provides a valuable framework for further effective implementation of Article 137 of the EC Treaty at Community level; |
3. |
shares the Commission's opinion that occupational health and safety not only safeguards workers' life and health and enhances their motivation but also plays a vital role in increasing the competitiveness and productivity of enterprises and in contributing to the sustainability of social protection systems by reducing the social and economic costs of occupational accidents, incidents and diseases; |
4. |
emphasises that collective protective measures and combating risks at source are fundamental principles of prevention; |
5. |
considers that Community policy on health and safety at work based on an overall approach to well-being at work should have as its purpose an ongoing, sustainable and consistent reduction in accidents at work and occupational illnesses; |
6. |
supports the Commission in seeking to reduce the incidence rate of accidents at work by 25 % at Community level, taking into account the Member States' experiences, circumstances and opportunities; |
7. |
stresses the need to:
|
8. |
calls on the Member States to:
|
9. |
calls on the Commission to:
|
10. |
calls on the social partners to:
|
(1) OJ L 183, 29.6.1989, p. 1. Directive as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1882/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 284, 31.10.2003, p. 1).