Directive (EU) 2024/869 amending Directive 2004/37/EC and Council Directive 98/24/EC as regards the limit values for lead and its inorganic compounds and for diisocyanates

Summary:

Directive (EU) 2024/869 - adopted by the co-legislators on 13 March 2024 - introducing amendments to Council Directive 98/24/EC and Directive 2004/37/EC as regards the limit values for lead and its inorganic compounds and diisocyanates.

Further information:

Council Directive 98/24/EC - also known as the Chemical Agents Directive (CAD) - set out minimum requirement across the European Union (EU) for protecting workers from risks to their safety and health arising from the effects of chemical agents present at workplace or as a result of any work activity involving those agents. Directive 2004/37/EC - also known as the Carcinogens, Mutagens and Reprotoxic Substances Directive (CMRD) - set out the minimum requirements for protecting workers against risks to their health and safety arising from exposure to carcinogens and mutagens at work. It lays down preventive and protective measures, as well as exposure limits.

Through this legislative framework, exposure limit values and other provisions have been set or revised for many substances or groups of substances over the years. This Directive seeks to further improve the protection of workers from the health risks linked to the exposure of lead and diisocyanates.

The draft law was adopted by the European Commission on 13 February 2023. The Council of the European Union adopted its general approach to the file on 12 June. The European Parliament's relevant committee adopted a negotiating position on 7 September. An informal agreement between the co-legislators on a compromise text for the draft law was reached on 14 November. This was formally endorsed by Parliament on 7 February 2024 and by the Council on 26 February. The Act was signed by the co-legislators on 13 March 2024 and published in the Official Journal on 19 March 2024.

• Primary Source

Commentary and Analysis

European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS): Briefing, 25/01/2024: Protection of workers: Limit values for lead and diisocyanates https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_BRI(2023)754563

European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS): At a Glance, 31/01/2024: Protection of workers: Limit values for lead and diisocyanates https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_ATA(2024)757619

Euronews, 20/03/2024: Chemical limits: Do the EU's new rules on toxic substances at work go far enough? https://www.euronews.com/business/2024/03/20/do-the-eus-new-limits-on-toxic-chemical-exposure-go-far-enough

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News

EurActiv, 12/01/2024: Parliament’s committee gives go-ahead to agreed rules for exposure to lead https://www.euractiv.com/section/health-consumers/news/parliaments-committee-gives-go-ahead-to-agreed-rules-for-exposure-to-lead/

EurActiv, 07/02/2024: EU Parliament endorses new limits for lead and diisocyanates exposure https://www.euractiv.com/section/health-consumers/news/eu-parliament-endorses-new-limits-for-lead-and-diisocyanates-exposure/

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Official

EUR-LEX: COM(2023)71: Proposal for a Directive amending Council Directive 98/24/EC and Directive 2004/37/EC as regards the limit values for lead and its inorganic compounds and diisocyanates https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=COM:2023:71:FIN

EUR-LEX: SWD(2023)34: Staff Working Document accompanying the Proposal - Subsidiarity Grid https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=SWD:2023:34:FIN

EUR-LEX: SWD(2023)35: Staff Working Document accompanying the Proposal - Impact Assessment https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=SWD:2023:35:FIN

EUR-LEX: SWD(2023)36: Staff Working Document accompanying the Proposal - Executive Summary of the Impact Assessment https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=SWD:2023:36:FIN

European Parliament: Legislative Observatory: Procedure File for Proposal on Limit values for lead and its inorganic compounds and diisocyanates (2023/0033(COD)) https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/ficheprocedure.do?lang=en&reference=2023/0033(COD)

European Parliament: Legislative Train Schedule: New EU strategic framework on health and safety at work 2021-2027 - Occupational safety and health (OSH) in a changing world of work https://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-train/theme-an-economy-that-works-for-people/file-new-osh-strategy

General Secretariat of the Council: Policies: Protecting workers: health and safety at work https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/protecting-workers/

European Commission: Press Release, 13/02/2023: Commission acts to improve protection of workers with new exposure limits for lead and diisocyanates https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_770

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 12/06/2023: Exposure to chemicals in the workplace: Council sets out its position https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2023/06/12/exposure-to-chemicals-in-the-workplace-council-sets-out-its-position/

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 14/11/2023: Lead and diisocyanates: EU set to protect workers from exposure https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2023/11/14/lead-and-diisocyanates-eu-set-to-protect-workers-from-exposure/

European Commission: Press Release, 15/11/2023: Commission welcomes political agreement to better protect workers against lead and diisocyanates exposure https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_5789

European Parliament: Press Release, 07/02/2024: MEPs adopt new rules to limit exposure to harmful substances at the workplace https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20240202IPR17313/

Council of the European Union: Press Release 26/02/2024: Protecting workers against lead and diisocyanates: Council signs off on new limit values https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2024/02/26/protecting-workers-against-lead-and-diisocyanates-council-signs-off-on-new-limit-values/

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