Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union

Europe, closer

A WARM WELCOME

We are celebrating the opening of the six-month period during which Spain holds the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union, from 1 July to 31 December.

During this six-month Presidency, the representatives of the Kingdom of Spain will chair the Council configurations, with the exception of the Foreign Affairs Council. Our representatives also chair the preparatory bodies, i.e. the Permanent Representatives Committee (COREPER) and the vast majority of the working groups. More than a thousand meetings take place during these six months, bringing together technical experts in each of the areas under discussion as well as the ministers responsible for each sector.

The role of the Presidency is to facilitate the Council's work by submitting proposals and organising scheduled meetings, and to promote consensus in support of the general interest. The rotating Presidency also represents the Council in its relations with the institutions of the European Union, including the European Commission and the European Parliament.

The Council of the EU negotiates and adopts not only legal acts, but also other non-legislative documents, such as conclusions, resolutions and declarations, which have no legal effect and are therefore not binding.

Imagen Sector Marítimo Pesquero

The Ministry of Labour and Social Economy is responsible for chairing the Council in its Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs (EPSCO) formation when it deals with matters within the competence of this Ministry and its relevant working groups, and participates in negotiations on files opened in this area of the Union's work. Actions in the field of health and safety at work are included in this area.

The Institute dedicates this website to providing information on issues related to health and safety at work in the framework of the Spanish Presidency, with updated information.

COMING EVENTS

Updated information on these events will be posted here.

COMING EVENTS

On September 26 and 27, the event "MENTAL HEALTH AND PRECARIOUS WORK. THE MANAGEMENT OF PSYCHOSOCIAL RISKS", which was held in the framework of the Spanish presidency of the Council of the EU.
The event brought together representatives of the Member States of the European Union, the European Parliament and the European Commission, as well as representatives of companies and workers and specialized European and national occupational health and safety organizations to address one of the priorities in the field of occupational health and safety: mental health and psychosocial risks, a priority included in the European Strategic Framework for OSH (2021-2027) and the Spanish OSH Strategy (2023-2027).
The technical conference on "PREVENTION OF OCCUPATIONAL CANCER", to be held in Madrid at the INSST headquarters on November 20 and 21, is part of the Road map "Roadmap on Carcinogens".
Roadmap on carcinogens follows an event organized by the Dutch Presidency of the Council of the EU on the prevention of work-related cancer. In this framework, six European organizations, Austria, the Netherlands, Business Europe, the European Trade Union Confederation, EU-OSHA and the European Commission, decided to join forces to develop a voluntary action plan to raise awareness of the risks arising from exposure to carcinogens in the workplace and to exchange best practices between companies and organizations.

PRIORITY TOPICS

The three topics around which the priorities of the Ministry of Labour and Social Economy will be developed are Social Dialogue, Social Economy and Decent Work, in which occupational safety and health issues are included.

With regard to health and safety at work, the following actions are planned under the Spanish Presidency:

  • Proposal for a Directive to improve working conditions on digital platforms. The Spanish Presidency will initiate negotiations between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission in order to reach a provisional agreement on the Directive.
  • Proposal for a Directive amending Directives 98/24/EC and 2004/37/EC as regards limit values for lead and diisocyanates. Following the opinion of the European Parliament expected in the autumn, the Spanish Presidency is expected to start negotiations with the European Parliament on behalf of the Council with a view to reaching an agreement on the amendment of both Directives.
  • The Spanish Presidency will work towards the adoption of Council conclusions on mental health and job precariousness

This year is also the European Year of Skills, which will include training in occupational safety and health.

The INSST will provide advice on all aspects of occupational safety and health to contribute to the success of the Spanish Presidency.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

For more information, please visit the official website of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union.