Health and Safety at Work and Labour Law

The Working Group on Health and Safety at Work and Labour Law is responsible for legislation contained in Annex XVIII of the EEA Agreement in the fields of health and safety at work and labour law. 

Several directives setting out minimum health and safety requirements for the protection of workers have been adopted by the EU and are relevant for the EEA Agreement. This includes a Framework Directive with a wide scope of application as well as further directives focusing on specific aspects of safety and health at work such as organisation of the workplace, exposure to dangerous substances or physical agents.

Labour law defines the rights and obligations of workers and employers in the workplace. Labour law is not a direct part of the fundamental freedoms of the EEA Agreement but accompanies the rules establishing them, in particular the free movement of persons. EU labour law mainly focuses on working conditions (including working time, part-time and fixed-term work, and posting of workers) and information and consultation of workers (including in the event of collective redundancies and transfers of undertakings).

See also:

DG Employment – Health and Safety at Work

DG Employment - Labour Law and Work Organisation

European Agency for Safety and Health at Work

Eurofound

EFTA Surveillance Authority – Labour law and health and safety at work

Officer
Internal Market Division

+32 22 861 757

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