Press Release: 25% cut in accidents at work by 2012 – new EU strategy

Work-related illness and accidents should be cut by a quarter across the EU under a new five-year strategy for health and safety at work, adopted by the Commission on 21 February 2007. It follows a 17% reduction in fatal accidents from 2002-2004 and a 20% fall in accidents leading to absence from work of three days or more. But progress remains uneven across different countries, sectors, companies and categories of workers. Changes in working life are leading to new occupational risks, while certain workplace illnesses are on the rise.