European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA)

The European Parliament adopted by 580 votes to 65 with 19 abstentions a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA), and repealing Council Regulation (EC) 2062/94.

The European Parliament’s position adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure amended the Commission proposal as follows:

Objective and tasks of the Agency: EU-OSHA’s objective shall be to provide the Union institutions and bodies, the Member States, the social partners and other actors involved in the field of safety and health at work with relevant technical, scientific and economic information and qualified expertise in that field in order to improve the working environment as regards the protection of the safety and health of workers.

To that end, EU-OSHA shall enhance and disseminate knowledge, provide evidence and services for the purpose of policy making, including research-based conclusions, and shall facilitate knowledge sharing among and between Union and national actors.

The Agency shall also be tasked to:

• disseminate that information to the Union institutions and bodies, the Member States, the social partners and other actors involved in the field of safety and health at work;
• provide forums for the exchange of experience and information between governments, social partners and other stakeholders at national level;
• contribute, in particular through evidence-based information and analyses, to the implementation of reforms and policies at national level;
• establish a strategy for relations with third countries and international organisations.

The Agency may conclude cooperation agreements with other relevant EU agencies to facilitate and promote cooperation with them.

Management Board: this shall also provide for the participation of an independent expert appointed by the European Parliament.

Members of the Management Board and their alternates shall be designated and appointed on the basis of their knowledge in the field of safety and health at work, taking into account their relevant skills such as managerial, administrative and budgetary skills and expertise in the area of EU-OSHA's core tasks, in order to carry out an effective oversight role.

Each member and alternate shall sign a written statement at the time of taking office declaring that he or she is not in a situation of conflict of interests. EU-OSHA shall publish the statements and updates on its website.

The Management Board shall also provide the strategic orientations for EU-OSHA's activities and adopt each year, by a majority of two-thirds of members with the right to vote and EU-OSHA's programming document, containing EU-OSHA's multiannual work programme and its annual work programme for the following year.

Programming: the Executive Director shall present to the Management Board a draft programming document containing an annual and multiannual work programme. Following approval by the Management Board, the draft programming document shall be submitted to the Commission, the European Parliament and the Council by 31 January each year at the latest. The Management Board shall adopt the programming document taking into account the Commission’s opinion.

Executive Director: the Executive Director shall be responsible for the management of the agency in accordance with the strategic direction defined by the Management Board and shall report on his activities to the Management Board.

The Executive Director shall also be in charge of:

• ensuring the day-to-day administration of EU-OSHA, including exercising the powers entrusted to him or her in respect of staff matters;
• taking decisions with regard to the management of human resources;
• taking into account the needs relating to EU-OSHA's activities and sound budgetary management;
• setting up an effective monitoring system to ensure that regular evaluations are carried out;
• drawing up the draft financial rules and drawing up the draft estimates of the Agency's revenue and expenditure;
• ensuring gender balance within the agency;
• establishing a liaison office in Brussels to promote cooperation between the Agency and the relevant EU institutions.

Budget: in order to ensure its full autonomy and independence, Members suggested that EU-OSHA should be granted an adequate and autonomous budget with revenue stemming essentially from a contribution from the general budget of the Union. The Agency’s budget should be prepared in accordance with the principle of performance-based budgeting taking into account its objectives and expected results. EU-OSHA’s accounts should be audited by the European Court of Auditors.