Directive (EU) 2024/869

What it is

The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs adopted the report by Nikolaj VILLUMSEN (GUE/NGL, DK) on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directive 98/24/EC and Directive 2004/37/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards limit values for lead, its inorganic compounds and diisocyanates. The proposal aims to revise the existing limit values for lead and to introduce limit values for diisocyanates for the first time, thereby helping to achieve a high level of protection for the health and safety of workers. The committee responsible recommended that the European Parliament's position adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure should amend the Commission's proposal. Regarding the limit values for lead , the report supports the Commission's proposal to lower the exposure limit value (ELV) from 0.15 milligrams per cubic metre (0.15 mg/m³) to 0.03 mg/m³ and to lower the biological limit value (BLV) from 70 micrograms per 100 millilitres of blood (70µg/100ml) to 15µg/100ml. The European Parliament adopted by 589 votes to 10, with 40 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directive 98/24/EC and Directive 2004/37/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the limit values for lead and its inorganic compounds and diisocyanates. Parliament's position adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure should amend the proposal as follows: The proposed directive lays down a revised biological limit value of 15 µg Pb/100 ml blood, accompanied by a revised occupational exposure limit value of 0,03 mg/m3 as an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA). A substantial reduction of the biological limit value to 15 µg Pb/100 ml blood may be difficult to comply with in the short term, due to the time needed to implement risk-management measures and the costly adaptation of production processes. Therefore, a transitional period until 31 December 2028 should be introduced during which a biological limit value of 30 µg Pb/100 ml blood applies. The Commission should, no later than five years from the date of entry into force of this amending Directive, assess the occupational limit values for lead and its inorganic compounds. Where appropriate, the Commission should submit a legislative proposal to amend those limit values. A notation as ‘non-threshold reprotoxic substance’ should therefore be introduced for lead and its inorganic compounds and employers should ensure that the occupational exposure of workers to lead and its inorganic compounds is reduced to as low a level as is technically possible. No later than two years from the date of entry into force of this amending Directive, the Commission should initiate the procedure to obtain a scientific assessment of endocrine disruptors that can affect the health and safety of workers, with a view to evaluating the appropriateness of including them within the scope of this Directive in order to better protect the health and safety of workers. The new directive sets the occupational exposure limit for…

Frequently asked