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Plenary report, 7 September 2026

With recommendations to the Commission on psychosocial risk, stress and mental health at work

Report A-10-2026-0225 · (2026/2023(INL))

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs · Rapporteur: Estelle Ceulemans

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AI:In short

Parliament's committee report asks the Commission to propose a directive on work-related psychosocial risks, stress and mental health at work, based on an impact assessment and the recommendations in the annex. It calls for binding employer duties: prevention, regular participatory psychosocial risk assessments, action plans, reporting channels, return-to-work support and protective services. It asks for a legal presumption that health damage is work-related where the worker shows exposure and consistent injury, with the burden on the employer. It wants gender-based violence and harassment at work recognised as a psychosocial risk, and a zero-tolerance approach with safe reporting and victim protection. It calls for minimum standards on recognition, prevention and compensation, a definition of psychosocial risks, and better enforcement through labour inspectorates and a stronger European Labour Authority mandate. It asks that the proposal be covered by existing budgetary allocations and that it not lower existing protection levels.

Position. The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs asks the Commission to propose a directive on work-related psychosocial risks, stress and mental health at work, after an impact assessment, following the recommendations in the annex.

Key points

  1. Parliament asks the Commission to run an impact assessment, including a competitiveness and SME test, and then propose a directive on work-related psychosocial risks, stress and mental health at work.
  2. The proposal should set minimum requirements to prevent, eliminate or reduce psychosocial risks and outcomes such as work-related stress, burnout, mental disorders, addiction, cardiovascular diseases and musculo-skeletal disorders.
  3. It should apply to all workers, including trainees and apprentices, in all public and private sectors, and define psychosocial risks, risk factors, work-related stress, moral distress, presenteeism and primary, secondary and tertiary prevention.
  4. Employers should prevent psychosocial risks, apply the general prevention principles of Directive 89/391/EEC, avoid imposed telework, address safe staffing levels, and provide reporting mechanisms protecting workers from retaliation.
  5. Employers should provide regular training to workers, managers and supervisors, and adopt policies prohibiting violence, harassment, bullying and discriminatory behaviour with confidential reporting and protection from retaliation.
  6. Employers should carry out regular psychosocial risk assessments, also on significant work changes, and adopt an action plan with measures on staffing, work-life balance, workload, presenteeism, the right to disconnect, harassment, automated decision-making and high-risk sectors.
  7. Restructuring, reorganisation, teleworking changes and automated decision-making or monitoring with significant impact should first undergo a psychosocial risk assessment, with human oversight of algorithmic systems.
  8. Workers should have the right to a psychologically safe working environment, to mental health support, and to a supported and sustainable return to work with an individual plan.
  9. Workers should be able to report psychosocial risks, including anonymously, and be protected from retaliation; workers' representatives should be involved in designing and monitoring reporting channels.
  10. Workers should be able to exercise the right to disconnect, and employers should ensure digital tools and work organisation support it.
  11. Member States should ensure labour inspectorates have powers, training, tools and resources for psychosocial risks, and the Commission should strengthen the European Labour Authority's mandate.
  12. Member States should apply a legal presumption that health damage is work-related where the worker shows exposure and consistent injury, unless the employer proves otherwise.

Who is affected

  • Employers in all sectors, who would have binding duties on prevention, assessment, action plans, reporting and return-to-work support.
  • Workers, including trainees and apprentices, who would gain rights to a safe environment, support, reporting and disconnection.
  • Small and medium-sized enterprises, which should get simplified tools, guidance and tailored support for risk assessments.
  • Member States, which should ensure inspections, data collection, education and training, and the legal presumption.
  • Social partners, who should be involved in implementation, collective bargaining and data monitoring.

Figures and deadlines

  • more than 840,000 people die every year from health conditions linked to psychosocial risks
  • 77 % in 2010, 78 % in 2015 and 80 % in 2024 of the EU workforce report good or very good health
  • exposure to high work intensity rose from 27 % in 2015 to 40 % in 2021
  • work-related psychosocial risks cost over one hundred billion euro annually and account for approximately 60% of lost working days in the Union
  • 1 in 3 doctors and nurses report symptoms of depression, 1 in 10 experience passive suicidal thoughts, 1 in 3 experience bullying or threats of violence, and 10% report physical violence or sexual harassment
  • 29 % of workers report being not very well informed or not at all informed about prevention of work-related stress
  • managers flag unclear accountability (28%), lack of explainability (27%) and inadequate protection of employees' physical and mental health (27%)

Legal basis. Article 153(2), point (b), and Article 153(1), point (a), of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union

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Motion for a european parliament resolution 92 paragraphs

(2026/2023(INL))

The European Parliament,

–having regard to Article 225 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU),

–having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, and in particular Articles 1, 3, 21, 27, 31 and 35 thereof,

–having regard to the European Pillar of Social Rights, in particular Principle 10 on healthy, safe and well-adapted work environments,

–having regard to Council Directive 89/391/EEC of 12 June 1989 on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work,

–having regard to Directive (EU) 2019/1937 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2019 on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law,

–having regard to the Directive (EU) 2019/1158 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on work-life balance for parents and carers and repealing Council Directive 2010/18/EU,

–having regard to the Directive (EU) 2024/2831 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2024 on improving working conditions in platform work, and in particular its Article 12;

–having regard to Directive 2003/88/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 November 2003 concerning certain aspects of the organisation of working time, Directive (EU) 2019/1152 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on transparent and predictable working conditions in the European Union, and Directive 2002/14/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2002 establishing a general framework for informing and consulting employees in the European Community,

–having regard to the European social partners’ framework agreement on work-related stress (2004),

–having regard to the European social partners’ framework agreement on harassment and violence at work (2007),

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–having regard to the EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work 2021–2027, which sets out key priorities for anticipating and managing change in the new world of work, improving prevention of workplace accidents and diseases, and increasing preparedness for future health crises,

–having regard to its resolution of 10 March 2022 on a new EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work post 2020 (2022/2165(INI)),

–having regard to its resolution of 5 July 2022 on mental health in the digital world of work (2021/2098(INI)),

–having regard to its resolution of 21 January 2021 on the right to disconnect (2019/2181(INL))

–having regard to its resolution of 12 December 2023 on mental health (2023/2074(INI)),

–having regard to its resolution of 17 December 2025 with its recommendations to the Commission on digitalisation, artificial intelligence and algorithmic management in the workplace – shaping the future of work (2025/2080(INL)),

–having regard to European Economic and Social Committee’s opinion on Precarious work and Mental Health (SOC/745-EESC-2023),

–having regard to the Council conclusions on mental health (15971/23),

–having regard to the Commission communication of 4 December 2025 on the Quality Jobs Roadmap,

–having regard to the European Commission communication of 5 March 2026 entitled “A Union of Equality: Gender Equality Strategy 2026–2030”,

–having regard to the Commission communication of the 7 June 2023 on a comprehensive approach to mental health,

–having regard to the European Parliament’s Policy Department study published in May 2023 on Minimum health and safety requirements for the protection of mental health in the workplace,

–having regard to Eurofound’s European Working Conditions Survey 2024: First findings. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union,

–having regard to EU-OSHA’s reports on psychosocial risks and stress at work, and in particular its report on “Work-related psychosocial risks and mental health in the EU health and social care sector” published on 13 November 2025,

–having regard to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on mental health at work (2022),

–having regard to the WHO Europe’s Mental Health of Nurses and Doctors (MeND) survey in the European Union, Iceland and Norway published on 10 October 2025,

–having regard to its resolution of an EU health workforce crisis plan: sustainability of healthcare systems and employment and working conditions in the healthcare sector,

–having regard to the 2022 policy brief by the WHO and the ILO entitled ‘Mental health at work: policy brief’,

–having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Legal Affairs on the proposed legal basis,

–having regard to Rules 47 and 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

–having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Public Health,

–having regard to the report of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (A10-0225/2026),

A.whereas work-related psychosocial risks and resulting impacts are multifactorial and arise primarily from exposure to risk factors related to the organisation, design and management of work, as well as from the social and relational context of work; whereas workers are often exposed simultaneously to multiple and interacting risk factors, and whereas such cumulative and combined exposure can amplify the negative impact of work-related psychosocial risks;

B.whereas the organisation, financing and delivery of health services and medical care, including mental health services, is the responsibility of the Member States; whereas Union action in the field of occupational safety and health, should respect national competences;

C.whereas a distinction must be made between work-related psychosocial risks and mental health, with organisations such as the ILO and WHO outlining that for poor health results mental health is the “outcome” and work-related psychosocial risks are the “cause”;

D.whereas, according to the ILO report on “The psychosocial working environment: Global developments and pathways for actions”, more than 840,000 people die every year from health conditions linked to psychosocial risks; whereas exposure to psychosocial risk factors such as excessive workload, unreasonable work pace and unachievable objectives, workforce shortages including unsafe staffing levels, psychological and sexual harassment, lack of autonomy or influence, lack of role clarity and ineffective communication, blurring of work and life through expectations of constant connection, job insecurity, poor management and collegial practices, dysfunctional performance and merit-based evaluation systems, workplace bullying, including the devaluating of personal dignity and the undermining of professional identity, mobbing, significantly increase work-related psychosocial risks and should be prevented and managed effectively to ensure good working conditions, a healthy working environment and support productivity;

E.whereas quality managerial practices and support, and positive workplace relationships contribute significantly to mental well-being at work and can act as protective factors against psychosocial risks;

F.whereas exposure to psychosocial risk factors at work has serious negative effects on workers’ mental and physical health, including work-related stress, burnout, anxiety disorders, depression, cardiovascular diseases, relational disruptions impacting the working environment, the consumption of anxiolytics or alcohol, smoking, musculoskeletal disorders and long-term work incapacity, potentially resulting in the loss of employment or resignation or in extreme cases increased risk of suicide; whereas conversely a good psychosocial workplace environment enhances good performance for both workers and businesses as well as workers’ personal development and mental and physical wellbeing;

G.whereas psychosocial risk factors at work can have a negative effect on disability and chronic health conditions such as diabetes, epilepsy, autoimmune diseases or rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs); whereas these conditions require appropriate support measures at work;

H.whereas the Eurofound’s European Working Conditions Survey 2024 underlines that most of the EU workforce reports good or very good health, and this share has been slowly increasing over the years: 77 % in 2010, 78 % in 2015 and 80 % in 2024; whereas Eurofound’s European Working Conditions Survey 2023 shows that exposure to high work intensity rose from 27 % in 2015 to 40 % in 2021 with one in three employees working at high work intensity, to tight deadlines or during their free time and remains one of the most significant drivers of psychosocial risks, requiring targeted organisational measures to manage workload and staffing levels; whereas the effects of this are particularly stark in the case of continuous shift work, night work and systematic staff shortages;

I.whereas the WHO defines a healthy workplace as an environment where workers and managers collaborate to promote the health, safety and well-being of all workers and the sustainability of the workplace; whereas to improve the health of workers, consideration should be given not only to the (i) physical work environment, but also (ii) the organisation of work and workplace culture, (iii) the personal health resources in the workplace, and (iv) corporate social responsibility and ways of community involvement;

J.whereas factors related to gender, age and occupation can play a role in workplace dynamics and in different sectors; whereas reportedly all workers identify a safe working environment for physical and mental health as the most important aspect; whereas the social environment index has decreased for women with simultaneous deterioration of the work intensity index, while the latter has improved for men leading to an overall situation where the proportion of men in good health is higher than that of women;

K.whereas work-related psychosocial risks generate substantial social and economic costs, including absenteeism, labour market exit, increased rates of early retirement as well as sickness absence, reduced productivity and competitiveness across the Union, costing over one hundred billion euro annually, increasing pressure on healthcare systems and public health expenditure and accounting for approximately 60% of lost working days in the Union, thereby contributing to labour shortages and increased work intensity for workers in organisations impacted by such shortages; whereas addressing work-related psychosocial risks, stress and mental health at work is beneficial for both workers and employers, contributing to productivity, innovation and the competitiveness of European businesses and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) ultimately benefiting and the wider economy and society;

L.whereas work-related psychosocial risks intensify the burden on healthcare systems and public health expenditures and have a bearing on the financial viability of organisations in both the public and private sector; whereas investing in prevention, early intervention and accessible counselling services reduces pressure on healthcare and social protection systems and constitutes therefore an essential component of preventive public health policy;

M.whereas adverse social behaviour, including verbal abuse, devaluation of personal dignity and undermining of professional identity, threats, bullying, psychological and sexual violence and harassment or abusive conduct by employers, colleagues, supervisors, managers or persons in positions of authority, has a particularly severe and long-lasting impact on workers’ physical and mental health; whereas such behaviour should be addressed, also within the framework of social dialogue, focusing on sectors where these risks are most prevalent; whereas women are more exposed to workplace violence and harassment; whereas the whole spectrum of harassment and violence, including third-party and cyber violence from clients, patients, care recipients or service users, should be explicitly recognised and proactively addressed, with a gender-sensitive approach;

N.whereas workers in service sectors, which are often female dominated, such as health and social care, education, public administration, and sectors with client-facing occupations such as passenger transport are particularly exposed to acute and high psychosocial risks due to high work intensity, workforce shortages, challenging working conditions and exposure to third-party violence; whereas aggressive behaviour towards health, social care and emergency service workers is particularly acute; whereas military personnel, workers moderating online content, farmers and agricultural workers and workers in slaughterhouses and meatpacking also face high levels of work-related stress and psychosocial risks linked to the nature and intensity of their work; whereas these sector-specific risks require tailored preventive and supportive measures, including ensuring safe staffing levels, adequate resourcing, supportive management practices with adequate supervision, access to mental health services, and decent working conditions, which are essential to protect both the physical and mental health of workers in these sectors;

O.whereas according to the WHO/Europe MeND survey, 1 in 3 doctors and nurses report symptoms of depression, 1 in 10 experience passive suicidal thoughts, 1 in 3 doctors and nurses experience bullying or threats of violence at work, and 10% report having experienced physical violence or sexual harassment; whereas, addressing these issues, is also a prerequisite for guaranteeing patient safety as well as the quality and continuity of patient care, and to ensuring the quality of public services as well as well-being of such workers;

P.whereas people with lived experience of mental health conditions and psychosocial disabilities face additional stigma, discrimination and barriers in employment, which can exacerbate psychosocial risks;

Q.whereas the increasing use of digital technologies, algorithmic management and artificial intelligence, while also offering opportunities to improve work organisation and flexibility when properly implemented, can contribute to work intensification, undue surveillance, social isolation and loss of autonomy, and often results in workers being required to adapt to technology rather than the other way around when it is not deployed and managed in a human-centric way with workers involvement and training;

R.whereas around two-thirds of managers that use algorithmic management tools have concerns regarding trustworthiness of their current use; whereas managers most often flag unclear accountability (28%), lack of explainability (27%), as well as inadequate protection of employees’ physical and mental health (27%);

S.whereas mental fatigue from excessive use or oversight of AI tools beyond one’s cognitive capacity, a phenomenon, sometimes described as “digital” or “AI-related brain fatigue” or “brainfry”, may lead to reduced concentration, impaired decision-making, decreased productivity, and increased psychosocial stress, particularly in high-responsibility environments; whereas the ever greater use of digital tools for work purposes can have detrimental effect on workers’ fundamental rights and fair working conditions, the limitation of working time and work-life balance, physical and mental health and safety at work and well-being, as well as on gender equality, because of its disproportionate impact on workers with caring responsibilities, the majority of whom are women; whereas the digital transition should be guided by respect for human rights and for the fundamental rights and values of the Union, and should have a positive impact on workers and working conditions;

T.whereas the current EU occupational safety and health (OSH) framework, notably Directive 89/391/EEC, in order to ensure legal certainty, should sufficiently provide for specific rules and guidance addressing developments in the world of work over the last thirty years and their psychosocial risks and impacts; whereas there is also a need to strengthen the implementation and enforcement of the existing EU legislative framework, ensuring that current standards are applied effectively across all Member States, in order to ensure a level playing field and consistent protection with full respect of different national labour market models and enforcement systems, while enabling tailor-made solutions for different industrial traditions and systems of Member States; whereas recent Union legislation, including Directive (EU) 2024/2831 on improving working conditions in platform work, has to some extent addressed emerging risks related to work organisation, digitalisation and algorithmic management in the platform sector, while taking into account the diversity of national labour market systems and the role of social partners;

U.whereas the European Parliament has recognized the adverse OSH risks of algorithmic management (2025/2080(INL)); whereas the current EU OSH framework for addressing the specific OSH challenges posed by algorithmic management and AI systems at work should be reviewed and adapted to protect workers; whereas the rapid changes brought about by the adoption of algorithmic management systems, digital surveillance and AI at the workplace and the nature of these technologies to adapt and bring about OSH risks are difficult to predict in the design phase, and require that workers are able to report OSH-related risks through effective communication channels, and that they are informed, consulted and involved in the use of the technologies introduced at the workplace;

V.whereas there is considerable variation in the prevalence of work-related psychosocial risks and in how they have been addressed in national legislation and wider policies, including those implementing the European social partners’ agreements on work-related stress and on harassment and violence; whereas such variation reflects differences in labour market structures, regulatory frameworks and implementation practices, thereby leading to unequal levels of protection and discrepancies across the Union particularly in sectors and occupations experiencing changing workplace organisation and conditions; whereas sharing of best practices between Member States is necessary to promote convergence towards high standards; whereas the social partners have a key role to play in preventing and addressing psychosocial risks, particularly at sectoral and company level, to ensure solutions are adapted to their specific context and needs;

W.whereas climate-related psychosocial risks, including exposure to extreme weather events and conditions and their outcomes, such as heat stress, eco-anxiety, increased fatigue, reduced concentration, interpersonal conflicts, and higher prevalence of anxiety and depression and work-related stress linked to environmental transitions are significant determinants of workers’ health and safety; whereas those risks disproportionately affect vulnerable workers and sectors; whereas some Member States have already taken appropriate temporary targeted measures to address those risks; whereas addressing and integrating these risks in Union law and through social dialogue would contribute to ensuring that EU OSH frameworks remain effective and responsive to new and emerging risks in the world of work;

X.whereas EU-OSHA highlights the importance of participatory risk assessment processes and the involvement of workers and their representatives in preventing work-related psychosocial risks in order to ensure that measures are effective, inclusive and grounded in actual workplace conditions and needs;

Y.whereas 29 % of workers report being not very well informed or not at all informed about the prevention of work-related stress at their workplace indicating a significant knowledge and communication gap on psychosocial risk prevention as well as insufficient access to early psychosocial support, occupational mental health guidance and referral pathways when symptoms emerge, not least to those entering the labour market for the first time; whereas this highlights the need to strengthen education, training and awareness-raising measures, including for students in preparation for working life, in order to foster preventive measures and to ensure that workers are adequately informed, in a timely, clear and comprehensible manner, about the nature of psychosocial risks, the factors affecting them and the measures in place to prevent and address them; whereas such information should be provided in writing and in formats that are accessible and understandable to all workers, taking into account diverse needs, including those of persons with disabilities; whereas accessibility should be ensured in accordance with the principles of universal design; whereas ensuring all workers, including those with disabilities, can access, understand and use such information is essential to enable their meaningful participation in prevention, reporting and risk management processes;

Z.whereas telework and adaptive working arrangements, while providing flexibility and opportunities for improving work-life balance, have also been associated with increased work intensity and connection to work-related digital tools beyond working hours, which leads to reduced social interaction, work–life interference and extended availability which can negatively affect mental health if not properly managed; whereas, in this context, ensuring clear limits to working time and protecting workers from being required to engage in work-related communications outside normal working hours, may contribute to mitigating the adverse effects associated with digitalisation of work; whereas implementing and promoting digital and mental health literacy, good management practices and the right to disconnect is essential to mitigate those risks;

AA.whereas women, young and older workers, single parents, people with care responsibilities, workers in precarious or non-standard forms of employment, managerial staff, third country nationals, workers living with a chronic health condition, workers with disabilities, and workers subject to intense performance monitoring and merit-based reward systems are disproportionately exposed to work-related psychosocial risks; whereas this is not due to individual vulnerability but a result of inequalities and certain workplace practices in the organisation of work, including unequal treatment and discrimination on various grounds, such as sex, age, disability, or sexual orientation; whereas these multiple forms of discrimination constitute psychosocial risk factors in themselves and whereas it is important to ensure that that all workers are protected in accordance with existing legislation and ensuring an inclusive and a safe and healthy working environment for all workers;

AB.whereas supervisors and managers are affected by particular stressors such as demanding work, self-management, fragmentation and spillover of work into private life; whereas supervisors suffering from work-related burnout and exhaustion can create a trickle-down effect, with workers that they manage also experiencing higher levels of emotional exhaustion, anxiety, and depression;

AC.whereas gender disparities affect how psychosocial risks are experienced, reported, and managed within workplace environments; whereas women workers are disproportionately exposed to psychosocial risks in the world of work, including gender-based violence and harassment, which constitute serious OSH risks with significant impacts on their physical, economical and mental well-being; whereas the ILO Convention No. 190 (C190) is the first international treaty to recognise the right of everyone to a world of work free from violence and harassment, including gender-based violence and harassment;

AD.whereas young people are disproportionately affected by anxiety, mental distress and burnout in the workplace, not least due to their more intensive use of digital technologies and the often-precarious nature of early-career employment; whereas the expansion of teleworking may further limit opportunities to build meaningful social connections, access informal learning, and receive adequate supervision and mentoring, all of which are essential at the beginning of a professional career; whereas these factors may increase the risk of isolation and frustration, thereby exacerbating psychosocial risks among young workers;

AE.whereas third country workers are disproportionately exposed to psychosocial risks at work due to various factors such as atypical, precarious and unsafe working conditions, unequal treatment and barriers to accessing rights and reporting abuse; whereas workers in an irregular situation are particularly vulnerable to labour exploitation and abusive practices when seeking to assert their rights; whereas these risks are particularly relevant in platform work and in other sectors such as domestic work, where women from third countries constitute a significant part of the workforce;

AF.whereas difficulties in the recognition of work-related psychosocial diseases resulting from exposure to work-related psychosocial risks and the burden of proof placed on workers constitute obstacles to effective prevention, enforcement and access to justice;

AG.whereas raising mental health aspects and mentioning challenges in the workplace is still attached to the fear of stigma by workers, leading to underreporting of work-related psychosocial risks and mental health conditions and thereby limiting access to justice and appropriate support; whereas workers who report OSH violations or work-related psychosocial risks, as well as direct and indirect witnesses, are particularly exposed to adverse treatment such as limiting their responsibilities, inaction and pressure to resign; whereas the protection of persons reporting breaches of Union law is established in, among others, Directive 2019/1937/EU (the ‘Whistleblower Directive’) ensuring protection against retaliation, intimidation and career penalties;

AH.whereas women workers who are pregnant, have recently given birth or are returning from maternity leave may face specific forms of discrimination, unequal treatment or adverse career impacts, which constitute psychosocial risk factors and must be prevented;

AI.whereas secondary prevention plays a key role in protecting workers’ health by enabling the early detection of work-related health impairments, in particular those linked to psychosocial risks, and by ensuring timely intervention to prevent their aggravation; whereas it includes, inter alia, appropriate monitoring, alert and support mechanisms, including access to occupational and mental health services and relevant support measures; whereas a clear and organised approach to secondary prevention contributes to reducing the duration of absences, facilitating a sustainable return to work that reduces symptoms of ill-health following periods of absence and preventing recurrence, thus complementing primary prevention measures; whereas psychosocial risks may have cumulative and delayed effects, particularly in professions involving exposure to traumatic events, where health impairments may arise long after the initial exposure;

AJ.whereas work-related psychosocial risks are the responsibility of the employer and must be addressed primarily through collective and organisational prevention measures;

AK.whereas a healthy work–life balance is an essential component of workers’ well- being and a key factor in preventing work-related psychosocial risks; whereas excessive working hours, unpredictable schedules and constant connectivity can negatively affect workers’ mental health and overall quality of life; whereas appropriate work organisation, including the right to disconnect and flexible working arrangements when properly managed, can contribute to improved well-being, productivity and labour market participation;

AL.whereas companies, in particular SMEs, must be supported to fulfil their OSH obligations, including addressing work-related psychosocial risks, through awareness raising, training initiatives particularly for management and user-friendly tools and practical guidance, including on preventive measures, emerging workplace technologies and policies supporting return-to-work;

1.Notes the extensive implications of work-related psychosocial risks on individuals, including adverse effects on mental and physical health, work–life balance and private life, as well as the potential to cause economic hardship, particularly in cases of prolonged incapacity to work; stresses the importance of proactively addressing evolving OSH risks, in particular psychosocial risks, to work tasks, patterns and workplaces, in the context of the twin transition; acknowledges the important role that the workplace can play in facilitating good mental health and recognises that healthy working conditions can positively impact well-being and productivity; emphasises in that regard, the need to strengthen the EU legislative framework on the prevention, identification and management of work-related psychosocial risks, and to ensure a high level of protection of workers’ mental and physical health and safety, in full respect of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality as well as the autonomy of the social partners and the diversity of national systems; calls furthermore for improving the implementation and enforcement of the existing EU framework on health and safety;

2.Calls on the Commission and the Member States to explicitly recognise that work-related psychosocial risks give rise to occupational diseases, including mental health issues; calls on the Commission, in cooperation with relevant bodies including the Advisory Committee on Safety and Health at Work, to review and, where necessary, amend Commission Recommendation (EU) 2022/2337 of 28 November 2022 concerning the European schedule of occupational diseases accordingly; calls furthermore on the Commission to facilitate the exchange of best practices between Member States regarding the recognition and prevention of work-related mental health issues;

3.Calls for all forms of gender-based violence and harassment at work to be explicitly recognised as a psychosocial risk requiring gender-responsive prevention and management, and for an EU comprehensive approach aligned with international standards that covers all forms of such violence, including sexual harassment, third-party violence and cyber-violence; further calls for clear employer obligations to prevent and address these issues, including the establishment of safe reporting mechanisms and effective victim protection as determined by the Directive 2024/1385;

4.Calls on Member States to ensure that where a worker establishes facts indicating exposure to work-related psychosocial risk factors including bullying, harassment, violence or burnout, and an injury or damage to health consistent with such exposure, there should be a presumption that the injury or damage is work-related; stresses that, in such a case, the burden would be on the employer to demonstrate that the injury or damage was not caused by the working conditions; further calls on Member States to introduce, where appropriate, mechanisms for the alleviation of the burden of proof, subject to legal certainty and the prevention of abusive and manifestly ill-founded claims;

5.Recalls the importance of ensuring a high level of workers’ occupational health and safety; welcomes the initiative for a Quality Jobs Act with the aim to ensure employment practices keep up with developments in the modern economy; stresses the need for this Act together with the forthcoming update of the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan to include measures that improve workplace health and safety and address psychosocial risks; calls furthermore on the Commission to conduct a comprehensive review of the current strategic framework on health and safety at work and the existing OSH legislative framework, in particular Directives 89/391/EEC and 90/270/EEC, with a view to identifying remaining gaps, ensuring the EU acquis remains fit for purpose and feeding into future initiatives, notably the post-2027 strategic framework on safety and health; underlines the need to ensure coherence with existing EU legislation and to avoid unnecessary administrative burdens, in particular for SMEs;

6.Calls on the Member States, in line with existing obligations under Article 9 of the OSH Framework Directive, to ensure that psychosocial risk assessments are mandatory, and conducted at regular intervals and in cases of significant workplace changes, participatory and properly documented in all workplaces, and undertaken with the effective involvement of workers and their representatives, while also taking into account sectoral, occupational and organisational specificities; calls for the systematic integration of a gender-sensitive and intersectional perspective in such assessments, taking into account discrimination and gender inequalities and stereotypes including specific consideration of workers during or after pregnancy, or miscarriage, maternity or paternity leave and upon return to work;

7.Recalls the need for and importance of informing and consulting workers and their representatives at relevant stages of psychosocial risk assessment, prevention and elimination, in accordance with Union and national labour law and social dialogue principles, ensuring the participation of workers and their representatives in the implementation of measures and continuous monitoring of risks, including through ensuring dedicated channels for workers to report OSH risks and challenges;

8.Underlines the important role of social partners and collective bargaining in preventing and addressing work-related psychosocial risks, by ensuring social dialogue, strengthening workers’ protection, and promoting healthier, safer and more resilient workplaces;

9.Considers it vital to respect the autonomy of the social partners; calls moreover on the Member States to promote a high level of collective bargaining coverage and recognise the role of and strengthen the capacity of social partners, in line with Article 4 of the minimum wage directive, in order to contribute to fair and adequate working conditions across the Union, and thus further prevent psychosocial risks;

10.Calls on the Member States, in cooperation with social partners to ensure continuous, accessible and specialised training for employers, managers, workers and workers’ representatives on work-related psychosocial risks and psychosocial risk factors, including harassment and violence, prevention and intervention measures, notably regarding abuse of authority and harassment by supervisors or colleagues, and awareness of early signs of burnout and other work-related mental health conditions, while taking into account sector-specific risks; stresses the need to integrate preventive education and training on psychosocial risks also into lifelong learning systems, including in vocational education and training; calls furthermore on the Member States to ensure that training and specific tools and methodologies are made available to support and guide employers in the assessment of work-related psychosocial risk, which should facilitate the application of that concept, especially for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises;

11.Stresses that individual resilience training or wellbeing programmes cannot replace employers’ legal obligations to prevent work-related psychosocial risks through proper work organisation;

12.Recalls the need to move towards a zero-tolerance approach to violence and harassment at work and encourages Member States to ratify relevant international instruments, in particular the Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190) of the International Labour Organization; underlines the importance of clear, confidential, independent and accessible procedures to address cases of harassment, violence and discrimination at work, including cases involving abuse by colleagues, supervisors or management, ensuring protection against adverse treatment and respect for victims’ rights;

13.Calls on the Commission and Member States to strengthen labour inspectorates through a proposal for a Council Recommendation on EU-wide minimum standards, including through enhanced cooperation and exchange of best practices and taking into account the realities of SMEs in the field of work-related psychosocial risks, including specialised training, harmonised assessment and monitoring tools, and adequate resources to support effective prevention and enforcement, and thereby strengthening national inspectorates based on those standards; reiterates its call on the Commission to substantially strengthen the European Labour Authority’s (ELA) mandate; considers that a strengthened ELA mandate would improve the enforcement of EU labour law and occupational health and safety, and enhance the collection and dissemination of best practices of national labour inspectorates, and should also allow for the issuing of recommendations based on these learnings;

14.Urges Member States to incorporate primary and secondary prevention measures into their national occupational health and safety strategies, while paying particular attention to more vulnerable groups ensuring effective coordination between healthcare systems, labour inspectorates, and social partners; emphasizes the importance of improving the collection, monitoring, and reporting of data on work-related psychosocial risks and associated absences, occupational diseases and injuries, including through better use of comparable indicators and data-sharing mechanisms to enable a more accurate evaluation of the effectiveness of prevention and intervention measures and to support evidence-based policymaking;

15.Underlines that prolonged isolation, combined with blurred boundaries between professional and private life, may increase the risk of stress and burnout; stresses, therefore, the importance of ensuring a balanced and voluntary approach to telework, including adequate opportunities for in-person interaction, on-the-job learning and managerial support;

16.Stresses the need for comprehensive return-to-work policies that support employees following illness or psychosocial difficulties; encourages Member States to develop tailored reintegration programs, including workplace adjustments to tasks, hours or environment and continuous occupational health support, including psychosocial support measures; highlights the importance of collaboration between employers, including human resources personnel and occupational health services, healthcare providers, social partners and workers’ representatives to facilitate a smooth, sustainable, and inclusive return to work, including through early intervention and individualised support plans, while preventing relapses and promoting long-term well-being;

17.Stresses the need for minimum standards in the recognition, prevention and compensation of work-related psychosocial risks, in order to avoid legal fragmentation and ensure equal protection of workers; calls on the Commission to propose a clear and legally binding definition of work-related psychosocial risks and psychosocial risk factors, covering risks arising from work organisation, design and management practices comprising those related to digital surveillance and algorithmic management at the workplace, the social and relational context at work and working conditions, heat and extreme weather, affecting both physical and mental health, with particular impact on emergency responders and including issues such as work-related stress, mobbing burnout, harassment, violence and discrimination; underlines that such standards must be workable and easily implementable for companies of all sizes, with tailored and dedicated support for SMEs (e.g. simplified digital risk assessment tools, sectorial guidance, targeted financial or advisory assistance); stresses that such tailored support can help SMEs embed effective and sustainable psychosocial risk prevention in their daily operations while remaining fully aligned with the Union’s ambition to promote safe, healthy and productive workplaces; calls furthermore for algorithmic management systems and technologies to be better integrated into health and safety systems at workplaces, with the involvement of worker representatives;

18.Requests the Commission to carry out an impact assessment including an assessment of existing legislation complemented by a competitiveness and SME test and to submit, on the basis of Article 153(2), point (b), and Article 153(1), point (a), of the TFEU and the result of the aforementioned steps, a legislative proposal on work-related psychosocial risks, stress and mental health at work which would address the remaining gaps in existing legislation and avoid creation of overlapping legal instruments, with view to an equivalent, high level of protection for all workers in the Union following the recommendations set out in the Annex hereto;

19.Considers that the financial implications of the requested proposal should be covered by existing budgetary allocations;

20.Instructs its President to forward this resolution and the accompanying recommendations to the Commission and the Council, and to the parliaments and governments of the Member States.

Annex to the motion for a resolution: recommendations as to the content of the proposal requested 133 paragraphs

The European Parliament requests the Commission to carry out an impact assessment including an assessment of existing legislation complemented by a competitiveness and SME test and to submit, depending on the result of the aforementioned steps, a legislative proposal on work-related psychosocial risks, stress and mental health at work where the following recommendations should be incorporated:

Recommendation 1

Subject matter and purpose

The aim of the proposal should be to lay down minimum requirements to prevent, eliminate or, where this is not possible, reduce work-related psychosocial risks and their potential outcomes which may include, inter alia, work-related stress, burnout, including cyber violence and harassment, bullying, mental disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder, moral distress and trauma-related conditions, addiction or suicidal behaviour, cardiovascular diseases and musculo-skeletal disorders, in full respect of the competences of the Member States and of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality.

It should establish binding organisational, structural and participatory obligations for employers in order to protect workers’ mental and physical health and to ensure safe and dignified working conditions.

Recommendation 2

Scope

The proposal should apply to workers, defined as any person employed by an employer, including trainees and apprentices, in all sectors of economic activity, both public and private.

Recommendation 3

Definitions

The proposal should provide for the following definitions:

(1)“Work-related psychosocial risks” means work-related risks arising from exposure to psychosocial risk factors, which affect workers’ mental and physical health, safety and dignity; such risks may lead, inter alia, to work-related stress, burnout, mental health issues, addiction or suicidal behaviour, cardiovascular diseases and musculo-skeletal disorders, which may lead to job loss, termination of employment, or pressure to resign;

(2)“Psychosocial risk factors” means work-related risk factors related to the organisation, design and management of work, its social and relational context and working conditions, including an excessive workload, high work intensity, long and often unpredictable working hours, presenteeism, lack of autonomy, lack of support from supervisors, psychological and sexual harassment, violence including cyber violence and harassment, and discriminatory behaviour, exposure to adverse working relationships and workplace bullying, high emotional demands, violation of personal dignity, devaluation of professional identity, and undermining of performance, high digital intensity notably digital connectivity outside working time, or being subject to automated decision-making or constant automated monitoring and undue excessive surveillance, lack of role clarity and ineffective communication, customer evaluation by real-time ratings systems, and unrealistic targets;

(3)“Work-related stress” means a state of physical, emotional, and psychological strain resulting from prolonged exposure to work-related psychosocial risk factors; it is characterized not only by feelings of exhaustion, but also by heightened levels of tension, anxiety, or being persistently “on edge”, reflecting both overactivation (stress/anxiety) and depletion (fatigue);

(4)“Moral distress” means distress arising when workers are constrained from acting in accordance with professional, ethical or clinical standards, including because of understaffing, insufficient resources, conflicting instructions or unsafe organisational arrangements;

(5)“Presenteeism” means employees’ presence at the workplace when exhibiting ill-health or illness, due to fear stemming from possible negative consequences of their absence being perceived or measured as being less productive, which could lead to them being made redundant, job loss, income loss and subsequent overall well-being being threatened from a socioeconomic stance;

(6)“Primary prevention” means measures aimed at preventing and eliminating work-related psychosocial risks at source, or where not possible, reducing negative effects, through adaptations to work organisation, design and management, and working conditions;

(7)“Secondary prevention” means measures aimed at the early identification and timely management of emerging adverse outcomes from exposure to work-related psychosocial risks in order to prevent their progression, reduce their impact, and avoid the development of more serious outcomes, including through screening, monitoring and targeted interventions for workers showing initial signs of exposure or harm;

(8)“Tertiary prevention” refers to measures that can support a sustainable and manageable return to work for everyone, and means measures aimed at managing and mitigating the adverse outcomes from psychosocial risks that have already occurred, in order to, without undue delay, prevent their progression, reduce their impact, prevent permanent impairing and set out a path for rehabilitation.

Recommendation 4

General prevention obligation

1.Employers should ensure the prevention of work-related psychosocial risks. To that end, the general principles of prevention as laid down in Article 6 of the Directive 89/391/EEC should apply.

Within the context of work-related psychosocial risks, the adaptation of the work to the individual should be understood as including measures to avoid imposed telework.

Within the context of work-related psychosocial risks, developing a coherent overall prevention policy should be understood as including measures on safe staffing levels

Within the context of work-related psychosocial risks, employers should have in place effective mechanisms for reporting and addressing psychosocial risks, ensuring that workers are protected from retaliation.

2.Taking into account the nature of the activities and the size of the enterprise concerned, employers should ensure that organisational resources that support primary prevention, including managerial support, worker participation and access to training, are made effectively available and accessible to all workers.

They should also provide regular, targeted, and adequate training to workers, managers and supervisors on work-related psychosocial risks and risk factors related to work organisation, design and management, the social and relational context at work, and working conditions, and prevention measures taking into account sector-specific needs, including the prevention of harassment, mobbing, inappropriate managerial practices, while ensuring that improvement of individual resilience, training or counselling is not considered sufficient where organisational risk factors remain unaddressed.

3.Employers should adopt and implement policies defining and prohibiting violence, harassment, bullying and discriminatory behaviour that undermines workers’ dignity, physical and/or mental health or well-being. These policies should include effective procedures for reporting and addressing such behaviour, ensure confidentiality and protect workers from retaliation.

4.Employers should also implement appropriate secondary prevention measures, including early detection mechanisms and risk-based prevention protocols for third-party violence, access to occupational health services, and timely support for workers exposed to psychosocial risks.

5.In line with Directive 89/391/EEC, employers should ensure the nomination of designated personnel, with sufficient training and/or expertise, supported by appropriate resources, to carry out measures related to the mitigation of work-related psychosocial risks while taking into account the situation of SMEs.

6.Information on the measures implemented will be made available to workers in accordance with Article 10 of Directive 89/391/EEC.

Recommendation 5

Psychosocial risk assessment and action plan

1.Employers should carry out regular psychosocial risk assessments and whenever significant changes to the organisation of work and organisational restructuring occur, including where such changes lead to notable fluctuation in staffing levels, high instances of workplace sick-leave, and a prevalence of long-term and/or repeated absences. Additionally, workers’ representatives should have the possibility to propose an assessment based on their reasoned evaluation.

2.The psychosocial risk assessment should evaluate psychosocial risk factors such as excessive workload, high work intensity, lack of autonomy, long and often unpredictable working hours, presenteeism, lack of support from supervisors, psychological and sexual harassment, violence and discriminatory behaviour, bullying, high emotional demands, especially in client-facing occupations, poor recognition and feedback practices, workplace relationships, exposure to adverse social behaviour from both internal sources in the organisation and external parties, job insecurity, work–life interference, high digital intensity notably digital connectivity outside working time, or being subject to automated decision-making or constant automated monitoring and undue excessive surveillance, including customer evaluation by real-time rating systems, lack of role clarity and ineffective communication, or unrealistic targets.

Such assessment shall be based on scientifically comparable and validated methods.

3.Member States should take into account the size, sector and resources of undertakings when implementing the provisions related to such assessments. In this context, simplified and practical tools should be made available to facilitate implementation without undue administrative burden, and in particular to assist SMEs with carrying out risk assessments.

4.On the basis of the psychosocial risk assessment, employers should without delay adopt an action plan setting out concrete measures to prevent, eliminate or reduce potential and identified work-related psychosocial risks and ensure their implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

5.The action plan should include, where relevant, in line with the results of the risk assessment:

(a)measures to address, workforce shortages, including through adequate staffing levels, and where possible reducing monotonous work;

(b)measures aimed at promoting a good work-life balance;

(c)measures to improve working conditions, reduce excessive workload and work intensity, including, where appropriate, measures addressing the frequency impact of overtime and unpredictable working hours, in accordance with national law and practice, with particular attention being paid to sectors characterised by irregular, extended or operational working time patterns, ensuring adequate recovery periods and compensatory measures;

(d)measures addressing presenteeism, and effective implementation of the right to disconnect referred to in Recommendation 11, including measures aiming to prevent practices requiring workers to be available outside working hours unless in exceptional circumstances, including technical and organisational safeguards;

(e)measures to prevent abusive social behaviour such as harassment, bullying and violence, including cyber harassment and violence;

(f)measures governing work-related psychosocial risks related to automated and semi-automated decision making or monitoring, the processing of workers’ data for profiling or other purposes and the use of artificial intelligence;

(g)targeted measures for sectors, occupations and groups of workers identified as being at higher risk, including health and social care, public administration and client-facing services; taking into account factors such as high work intensity, workforce shortages and exposure to third-party violence and harassment;

(h)measures for early intervention and support, including access to counselling, occupational health follow-up and mechanisms facilitating sustainable return to work.

(i)the establishment of peer-support systems and trust-based mechanisms;

(j)continuous risk management systems based on the results of the risk assessment to ensure a cyclical approach to prevention with regular review of progress, defining measurable objectives and timelines and allocation of adequate resources for the implementation.

6.The risk assessment measures and the action plan should be subject to approval by the relevant protective and preventive services for psychosocial risks designated pursuant to Recommendation 12.

7.The results of the risk assessment and the action plan should be documented and communicated to all workers in the workplace in a comprehensible adequate and accessible manner.

Recommendation 6

Work reorganisation and technological change

1.Any significant restructuring, reorganisation of work, including teleworking arrangements, shifts in workforce levels or introduction of automated decision-making and automated monitoring systems, where significant impact on workers is expected, should be subject to a prior psychosocial risk assessment by employers in cooperation with workers and their representatives.

2.Employers should integrate the results of the risk assessment into their safety and health systems, as regards possible risks of work-related accidents, psychosocial and ergonomic risks as well as any undue pressure put on workers. The use of algorithmic management technologies should respect workers’ wellbeing and be designed to ensure their physical and mental health and safety.

3.Employers should ensure that the introduction of algorithmic systems does not impose excessive burden or monitoring of workers, while ensuring continuous, meaningful and effective human oversight at all times over all decisions taken or supported by digital management technologies.

Recommendation 7

Right to a psychologically safe working environment and to relevant support services

Workers should have the right to a psychologically safe working environment that does not expose them to sustained work-related psychosocial risk factors that can result in significant negative impact on their physical and mental health and on their well-being.

Employers should take measures to address stigma related to mental health and to ensure that seeking psychological support does not lead to negative career consequences.

Member States should ensure the continuity of care and access to mental health support for workers exposed to psychosocial risk factors, including following the termination of an employment relationship, particularly in sectors where exposure to work-related psychosocial risk factors may have long-term consequences. In this context, Member States should ensure that employers, in particular SMEs, and workers have access to specialised mental health support services.

Recommendation 8

Supporting a sustainable return to work

1.Workers who have been absent from work long-term or for repeated periods of time due to health impairments linked to work-related psychosocial risks, including work-related stress, bullying, burnout, harassment or violence, should have the right to a supported and sustainable return to work.

2.Employers should ensure that a return to work as referred to in the first paragraph is organised in a manner that protects the worker’s health and prevents a recurrence of the risks that contributed to the worker’s absence.

3.This right should form part of the employer’s obligations in the framework of secondary and tertiary prevention of work-related psychosocial risks.

When a worker returns to work, the employer should establish an individual return-to-work plan.

The plan should be developed in cooperation with the worker concerned, occupational health services, a member of staff with supervisory functions and workers’ representatives in accordance with EU and national law and practice.

The plan should specify, where relevant:

(a)a gradual resumption of work;

(b)temporary or permanent adaptations of the worker’s tasks or workload;

(c)adjustments to the worker’s working time or work organisation;

(d)any other measures addressing the work-related psychosocial risks that had a negative impact on the worker’s health.

Recommendation 9

Follow-up action and prevention of recurrence

Employers should ensure regular follow-up action and maintain appropriate communication with the worker concerned during the return-to-work period, including on the possibility to review and adapt the return-to-work plan, as well as the long-term monitoring and any necessary action to ensure the success of the process of return-to-work period.

Where necessary, employers should take organisational measures to address the psychosocial risk factors that contributed to the worker’s absence, including the possibility of job redesign.

Workers returning to work after an absence linked to work-related risks should be treated in a fair and supportive manner and should not suffer discrimination or adverse treatment as a result of their absence.

The findings from return-to-work processes should be taken into account in the employer’s psychosocial risk assessment and prevention measures, with a view to preventing recurrence and improving working conditions.

Recommendation 10

Reporting and protection against retaliation

Workers should have the right to report, including anonymously, through effective channels, work-related psychosocial risks that they have identified or been affected by. Workers’ representatives should be informed and consulted in the design and monitoring of those effective reporting channels.

Appropriate safeguards should be put in place to prevent any form of retaliation, discrimination or disadvantage as a result of such reporting.

The provisions set out in this Recommendation should apply without prejudice to Directive (EU) 2019/1937.

Recommendation 11

Right to disconnect

Workers should be able to exercise their right to disconnect and employers should respect that right unless in exceptional circumstances as set out in the resolution of the European Parliament of 21 January 2021 with recommendations to the Commission on the right to disconnect (2019/2181(INL)).

Employers should ensure that digital tools and work organisation support the effective exercise of this right, taking into account different forms of work organisation.

Recommendation 12

Protective and preventive services for psychosocial risks

1.Employers shall should be able to designate one or more workers to carry out activities related to monitoring, risk assessment, early detection, and the prevention and management of psychosocial risks within the undertaking or establishment or if, because the undertaking does not dispose of sufficient competent personnel, such designation cannot be effected, they should be able to enlist competent external services or persons to that end, in addition to those designated or enlisted pursuant to Article 7 of Directive 89/391/EEC. Article 7(2), (5), (6) and (7) of Directive 89/391 should apply to such workers, external services or persons. The designated workers may be the same as those designated to carry out activities related to the protection and prevention of other occupational risks for the employer.

2.In the cases referred to in paragraph 1, the employer should inform those services or persons of all relevant factors known to affect, or suspected of affecting, the mental health and well-being of workers, including work organisation, working conditions, staffing levels and interpersonal relations at work.

3.Member States should determine:

–the necessary capabilities and qualifications in the field of psychosocial risk prevention;

–the sufficient number of persons or services required to carry out these tasks.

Recommendation 13

Information, consultation and participation of workers

1.Workers and their representatives should be informed, consulted and involved at all relevant stages of the assessment, prevention and management of psychosocial risks, including the action plan, and the introduction of or changes related to the organisation of work and working conditions, such as performance evaluation and algorithmic management practices, including through appropriate educational and awareness-raising measures in accordance with Union and national law and practice, which should take into account, inter alia, the size of the undertaking. Workers should have the right to nominate their representatives for such purposes, in accordance with national law and practice.

Employers should ensure that workers are provided with information, in writing and in an accessible format, to ensure that they are clearly and regularly informed about work-related psychosocial risks and the measures in place to prevent them and mitigate their negative impact.

Particular attention should be paid to ensuring that all workers understand that work-related psychosocial risks arise from exposure to psychosocial risk factors, and the nature of those factors.

2.Information, consultation and participation as referred to in paragraph 1 should concern, in particular:

(a)the identification and assessment of psychosocial risks;

(b)the design, planning and implementation of risk assessment preventive and remedial measures;

(c)the monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of those measures;

(d)the continuous improvement of policies and practices relating to psychosocial risks.

Workers and their representatives should be provided with the necessary information, training and means by which to participate effectively in the consultation processes referred to in paragraph 1.

3.The participation of workers referred to in paragraph 1 should take place in good time and in a meaningful manner, allowing workers and their representatives to contribute to decision-making and the development of appropriate measures, while respecting the organisation of work and established decision-making structures.

National health and safety bodies may also be invited by the employer to participate in the consultation processes, where appropriate, with a view to implementing solutions addressing detected or identified risks.

Workers and their representatives, where all internal procedures have been exhausted, should also be entitled to appeal, in accordance with national law and practice, to the authority responsible for safety and health protection at work if they consider that the measures taken and the means employed by the employer regarding work-related psychosocial risks including algorithmic management systems , are inadequate for the purposes of ensuring safety and health at work.

4.In accordance with Article 11 of Directive 89/391/EEC, workers and their representatives should have the right to make proposals relating to safety and health at work, including measures to address work-related psychosocial risks.

Recommendation 14

Labour inspections

Member States should ensure that labour inspection authorities are provided with adequate powers, as well as the necessary training, expertise, tools and resources to address work-related psychosocial risks, including with view to identifying, assessing, investigating and monitoring obligations concerning the effective prevention and combatting of these those risks.

Recommendation 15

Education and training

Member States should develop education and training programmes related to psychosocial risks at work, allowing management, occupational health services and all relevant occupational health professionals to receive adequate, continuous and multidisciplinary training on psychosocial risks at work, including their identification, assessment, prevention and management, so that they have the necessary knowledge and capabilities.

Recommendation 16

Legal presumption

1.Member States should ensure that, where a worker establishes facts indicating exposure to work-related psychosocial risk factors and an injury or damage to health consistent with such exposure, it is presumed that the impairment is work-related, unless the employer demonstrates that the injury or damage to health is not linked to the worker’s working conditions.

2.Member States may provide for more favourable provisions for workers, including mechanisms for the alleviation of the burden of proof subject to legal certainty and the prevention of abusive and manifestly ill-founded claims.

Recommendation 17

Monitoring and data collection

The Commission, in cooperation with the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) and the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA), should monitor trends in work-related psychosocial risks across Member States, in order to assess the effectiveness of the Commission’s proposal.

Member States should ensure that effective data is collected for the purpose of monitoring trends in work-related psychosocial risks. The data should be prepared in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and should be regularly reported to the bodies referred to in the first paragraph.

Member States should also promote the involvement of stakeholders, in particular social partners, in collecting and monitoring data regarding work-related psychosocial risks and effectiveness of subsequent measures at national level.

Recommendation 18

Implementation and enforcement

The proposal should provide that the Commission, Member States, their national competent authorities and the social partners cooperate, share best practices in order to build capacities, and ensure effective implementation and enforcement.

The proposal should provide that Member States, also when implementing this proposal, take adequate measures, in accordance with their national law and practice, to ensure the effective involvement of the social partners, including through collective bargaining, and to promote and enhance social dialogue.

Recommendation 19

Non-regression and more favourable provisions

This proposal should not constitute valid grounds for reducing the level of protection already afforded to workers within Member States.

The proposal should not affect Member States’ prerogative to apply or to introduce laws, regulations or administrative provisions and should not affect the social partners’ prerogative to conclude and apply collective agreements which are more favourable to workers.

Explanatory statement 8 paragraphs

Work-related psychosocial risks represent a growing challenge for occupational safety and health in the European Union. Profound changes in work organisation, management practices and employment conditions have significantly increased exposure to work-related psychosocial risks across sectors and occupations. These risks arise primarily from the organisation, design and management of work, as well as from the social and relational context in which work is performed and working conditions.

Excessive workloads and work intensity, lack of autonomy, long working hours, job insecurity, adverse social behaviours, and lack of appropriate rewards and recognition resulting from poor performance and evaluation systems are recognised psychosocial risk factors from which psychosocial risks emanate. These factors contribute to work-related stress, burnout, harassment, violence and discrimination, which have serious and long-term consequences for workers’ mental and physical health, including anxiety disorders, depression, cardiovascular diseases and long-term work incapacity. In addition to their human impact, work-related psychosocial risks generate substantial social and economic costs, including absenteeism, labour market exit and reduced productivity.

The current EU occupational safety and health framework, notably Directive 89/391/EEC, establishes general principles for prevention but does not provide sufficiently specific, binding or harmonised provisions addressing work-related psychosocial risks. Furthermore, the implementation of the European social partners’ agreements on work-related stress and on harassment and violence at work remains uneven across Member States and sectors, resulting in divergent levels of protection for workers.

Recent developments linked to digitalisation have further intensified work-related psychosocial risks. The increasing use of digital technologies, algorithmic management, artificial intelligence and automated performance monitoring systems has contributed to technostress, work intensification, social isolation and reduced autonomy. These developments raise concerns regarding the need to ensure that work organisation remains adapted to workers, in line with the fundamental principles of occupational safety and health.

Evidence shows that exposure to work-related psychosocial risks is unevenly distributed. Certain groups of workers, including women, young and older workers, workers in precarious employment, managerial staff and workers subject to intense performance monitoring, are disproportionately affected. This disproportionate exposure reflects structural inequalities, power imbalances and discriminatory practices within work organisation. Addressing work-related psychosocial risks therefore requires the integration of a gender-sensitive and intersectional perspective in prevention policies.

The report also underlines the challenges related to the legal recognition of work-related diseases resulting from exposure to work-related psychosocial risks and the burden of proof placed on workers. These difficulties hinder effective prevention, enforcement and access to justice. Work-related psychosocial risks may give rise to occupational diseases, including mental health disorders, as well as to work-related accidents, yet recognition and compensation systems remain fragmented across Member States.

Effective prevention of work-related psychosocial risks must be based primarily on collective and organisational measures, in accordance with the hierarchy of prevention. Research and guidance from EU agencies emphasise the importance of participatory risk assessment processes and the effective involvement of workers and their representatives. Individualised coping strategies or wellbeing/wellness initiatives cannot replace employers’ obligations to adapt work organisation and working conditions.

Finally, this report stresses the need for a more coherent and harmonised EU approach to work-related psychosocial risks. It calls on the Commission to present a proposal for a specific EU directive establishing binding minimum requirements for the prevention, recognition and management of work-related psychosocial risks. Such an initiative is necessary to ensure a high and equivalent level of protection for all workers in the Union, the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality.

Annex: declaration of input 4 paragraphs

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur declares that she included in her report input on matters pertaining to the subject of the file that she received, in the preparation of the report, prior to the adoption thereof in committee, from the following interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register, or from the following representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies:

1. Interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register
European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)
European Trade Union Institute (ETUI)
Industriall
Eurocadres
Eurofound
European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA)
European Public Service Union (EPSU)
Mental Health Europe
UNESSA
IDF Europe
ESMO
SGI
2. Representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies
None

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur.

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur declares that she has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament's Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.

Minority position 7 paragraphs

pursuant to Rule 56(4) of the Rules of Procedure

Margarita de la Pisa Carrión

It is our duty as legislators to promote public well-being and private prosperity.

To this end, we must strike a balance between decent working conditions for workers and the pursuit of their activities, on the one hand, and the right of employers to manage and organise their business, on the other, as a concrete means of fulfilling their role of creating prosperity.

This draft report does not adequately address that balance, and instead focuses on outdated ideas of class, interfering in national competences, such as legal presumptions in the field of employment, without offering any added value for companies established in the Union.

The public interest, geared towards the common good, requires the opposite at this juncture, in accordance with the following principles: limits on regulation with a view to boosting employment in the EU, diligent maintenance of our social protection, mutual collaboration on human resources, training to improve technical and professional knowledge in the light of multilateral competition, and stability to counter the risks of inflation and impoverishment.

23.7.2026

Opinion of the committee on legal affairs on the legal basis 66 paragraphs

Ms Li Andersson

Chair

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

BRUSSELS

Subject: Opinion on the legal basis of the recommendations to the Commission on psychosocial risk, stress and mental health at work(2026/2023(INL))

Dear Chair,

On 21 November 2025, the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) requested the authorisation to draw up, under Rule 47 of the Rules of procedure, a legislative own-initiative report pursuant to Article 225 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) on ‘Psychosocial risk, stress and mental health at work’ (the ‘INL proposal’). On 4 March 2026, the Conference of Presidents granted the authorisation to the EMPL committee.

By letter of 27 March 2026, the EMPL committee requested the Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) to deliver an opinion, pursuant to Rule 47(3), on the appropriateness of the legal basis for the INL report, that is Article 153(2)(b), in conjunction with Article 153(1)(a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

The JURI committee considered the matter of the appropriateness of the legal basis proposed in the draft INL in question at its meeting on 15 July 2026.

I - Background

The request for authorisation of the INL was made pursuant to point VII(3) of Annex VI to the Rules of Procedure, which confers on the EMPL committee the competence in the area of health and safety measures at the workplace.

The purpose of the INL proposal is to invite the Commission to put forward a legislative proposal on psychosocial risks and well-being at work aimed at the efficient prevention of psychosocial risks in the workplace, such as anxiety, depression, burnout and stress, including risks caused by structural problems such as work organisation (i.e. poor management, poor work design or not properly matching workers’ knowledge and abilities with the assigned tasks). The Parliament called on the Commission to present such a proposal during a plenary discussion in May 2025.

II - The relevant Treaty Articles

Title X of Part three TFEU, on Social policy, provides, inter alia (emphasis added):

Article 153

(ex Article 137 TEC)

1. With a view to achieving the objectives of Article 151, the Union shall support and complement the activities of the Member States in the following fields:(a) improvement in particular of the working environment to protect workers’ health and safety;

(a) improvement in particular of the working environment to protect workers' health and safety;

(b) working conditions;

(c) social security and social protection of workers;

(d) protection of workers where their employment contract is terminated;

(e) the information and consultation of workers;

(f) representation and collective defence of the interests of workers and employers, including co-determination, subject to paragraph 5;

(g) conditions of employment for third-country nationals legally residing in Union territory;

(h) the integration of persons excluded from the labour market, without prejudice to Article 166;

(i) equality between men and women with regard to labour market opportunities and treatment at work;

(j) the combating of social exclusion;

(k) the modernisation of social protection systems without prejudice to point (c).

2. To this end, the European Parliament and the Council:

(a) may adopt measures designed to encourage cooperation between Member States through initiatives aimed at improving knowledge, developing exchanges of information and best practices, promoting innovative approaches and evaluating experiences, excluding any harmonisation of the laws and regulations of the Member States;

(b) may adopt, in the fields referred to in paragraph 1(a) to (i), by means of directives, minimum requirements for gradual implementation, having regard to the conditions and technical rules obtaining in each of the Member States. Such directives shall avoid imposing administrative, financial and legal constraints in a way which would hold back the creation and development of small and medium-sized undertakings.

The European Parliament and the Council shall act in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure after consulting the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.

In the fields referred to in paragraph 1(c), (d), (f) and (g), the Council shall act unanimously, in accordance with a special legislative procedure, after consulting the European Parliament and the said Committees.

The Council, acting unanimously on a proposal from the Commission, after consulting the European Parliament, may decide to render the ordinary legislative procedure applicable to paragraph 1(d), (f) and (g).

3. A Member State may entrust management and labour, at their joint request, with the implementation of directives adopted pursuant to paragraph 2, or, where appropriate, with the implementation of a Council decision adopted in accordance with Article 155.

In this case, it shall ensure that, no later than the date on which a directive or a decision must be transposed or implemented, management and labour have introduced the necessary measures by agreement, the Member State concerned being required to take any necessary measure enabling it at any time to be in a position to guarantee the results imposed by that directive or that decision.

4. The provisions adopted pursuant to this Article:

- shall not affect the right of Member States to define the fundamental principles of their social security systems and must not significantly affect the financial equilibrium thereof,

- shall not prevent any Member State from maintaining or introducing more stringent protective measures compatible with the Treaties.

5. The provisions of this Article shall not apply to pay, the right of association, the right to strike or the right to impose lock-outs.

III – CJEU case-law on the choice of legal basis

The Court of Justice has traditionally viewed the question of the appropriate legal basis as an issue of constitutional significance, guaranteeing compliance with the principle of conferred powers (Article 5 of the Treaty on European Union) and determining the nature and scope of the Union’s competence.

According to well-established case-law, the legal basis of a Union act does not depend on an institution's conviction as to the objective pursued but must be determined according to objective criteria amenable to judicial review, including in particular the aim and the content of the measure.

If examination of a measure reveals that it pursues a twofold purpose or that it has a twofold component and if one of those is identifiable as the main or predominant purpose or component, whereas the other is merely incidental, that measure must be based on a single legal basis, namely that required by the main or predominant purpose or component. Only exceptionally, if it is established that the act simultaneously pursues a number of objectives, inextricably linked, without one being secondary and indirect in relation to the other, may such an act be founded on the various corresponding legal bases. This would however only be possible if the procedures laid down for the respective legal bases are not incompatible with and do not undermine the right of the European Parliament.

IV – Aim and content of the INL

Following the last available version of the compromise amendments of 22 June 2026, the suggested legal bases of the legislative proposal called for by the EMPL committee, namely Article 153(2), point (b), and Article 153(1), point (a), are stated in the recitals of the draft resolution.

As regards the aim of the requested measure, initially the annex to the draft report stated in its Article 1 that ‘[t]his Directive lays down minimum requirements to prevent, eliminate or, where this is not possible, reduce work-related psychosocial risk”. The compromise amendments of 22 June 2026, in their first recommendation to the Commission, reiterate that “The aim of the proposal should be to lay down minimum requirements to prevent, eliminate or, where this is not possible, reduce work-related psychosocial risks and their potential outcomes […]”.

The second recommendation addresses the scope of application ratione personae of the requested measure, i.e. “workers, defined as any person employed by an employer, including trainees and apprentices, in all sectors of economic activity, both public and private”. The intended scope of application of the requested measure would therefore coincide with that inherent to Article 153 TFEU.

Recommendations 4, 5, and 6 detail the obligations to be imposed upon employers by the requested measure, namely a general prevention obligation, the obligation to regularly carry out a risk assessment and to adopt an action plan, and the obligation to carry out a risk assessment following a work reorganisation or the introduction of automated decision-making and automated monitoring systems.

The following recommendations, numbered 7 to 11, shift the focus to the rights that the requested measure should grant to workers. In particular, the seventh recommendation enshrines workers’ right to a psychologically safe work environment. The eighth and ninth recommendations focus on workers’ rights upon returning to work after a long-term absence or repeated absences caused by a health impairment linked to work-related psychosocial risk. The tenth recommendation enshrines workers’ right to report on psychosocial risk factors without suffering retaliations. The eleventh recommendation lays down a prohibition to require workers to engage in work-related communications or tasks outside their working hours (‘right to disconnect’).

Recommendations 12 and 13 tackle the angle of organizational measures geared towards the prevention of work-related psychosocial risk. In particular, they recommend that the requested measure include provisions concerning the appointment of protective and preventive services specific to psychosocial risk and the information, consultation and participation of workers in relation to risk assessment and risk management activities relating to psychosocial risk.

The subsequent set of recommendations, numbered 14 to 18, identifies several obligations that the contested measure should impose on Member States. These include supporting the work of labour inspectorates as regards work-related psychosocial risk; introducing a rebuttable legal presumption covering the causal link between facts and damage, where a worker establishes facts indicating exposure to psychosocial risk and a damage compatible with such exposure; developing education and training programmes on this topic; monitoring trends and collecting data relating to psychosocial risk, and providing for effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties applicable to infringements of the requested measure.

Recommendation 19 clarifies that the requested measure should be without prejudice to Member States’ prerogative to maintain or introduce rules that are more protective of workers’ health and safety. It appears therefore that the requested measure is to set out “minimum requirements”, in keeping with the provision of Article 153(2)(b).

Finally, recommendation 20 encourages the involvement of social partners in the implementation of the requested measure.

V – Analysis

According to the case law of the Court, the concepts of 'working environment', 'safety' and 'health', used in Article 153(1)(a), embrace all factors, physical or otherwise, capable of affecting the health and safety of workers in their working environment. Accordingly, the existing EU legislation based on that legal basis already applies to psychosocial risk, albeit without addressing it specifically.

It should be stressed that the rights and obligations laid down in Council Directive 89/391/EEC of 12 June 1989 on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work (the ‘OSH Framework Directive’) apply to all occupational risks, including psychosocial ones. Article 6, paragraph 2, point (g) of that Directive provides that the overall prevention policy developed by every employer should cover inter alia “social relationships”, thereby referencing the relevance of occupational psychosocial risk within the architecture of the OSH Framework Directive.

The main aim of the INL proposal, as stated in the first recommendation, clarifies that the measure the INL proposal requests should pursue the aim of improving the working environment, with a view to protect workers’ health and safety, in line with Article 153(1)(a) TFEU. The content of the proposal, especially of its core recommendations relating to the rights and obligations to be imposed on workers and employers respectively, is broadly consistent with this objective.

However, some aspects of the recommendations appear to occasionally stray away from a strict notion of occupational safety and health, including measures that could also be pertinent in other neighbouring policy areas, for which a specific legal basis exists, notably:

- the recommendation that the action plan include measures governing work-related psychosocial risks related to the processing of workers’ data for profiling or other purposes (recommendation 5, paragraph 4b, point (e)), which could also be considered an expression of the objective to protect individuals with regard to the processing of personal data, enshrined in Article 16 TFEU;

- the recommendation that Member States ensure the continuity of care and access to mental health support for workers exposed to psychosocial risks even after the termination of an employment relationship (recommendation 7, third paragraph), which, as it relates to social security of workers, could be framed within the legal basis of Article 153(1)(c).

Nonetheless, the relative weight of these aspects within the recommendations respectively concerned and within the overall architecture of the requested measure is not such as to revoke into question that the aim of the requested measure remains the improvement of the working environment with a view to protecting workers’ safety and health.

VI – Conclusion

At its meeting on 15 July 2026, the Committee on Legal Affairs accordingly concluded, by 22 votes in favour, none against and 3 abstentions, that the INL proposal pursues the objectives covered by the concepts of 'working environment', 'safety' and 'health', as referred to in Article 153(1)(a) TFEU and that, therefore, Article 153(2)(b), in conjunction with Article 153(1)(a) TFEU, seem to be the appropriate legal bases.

Yours sincerely,

Ilhan Kyuchyuk

Annex: declaration of input 1 paragraph

The rapporteur for opinion declares under his exclusive responsibility that he did not include in his opinion input from interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register, or from representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies, to be listed in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.

Opinion of the committee on public health 5 paragraphs

for the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

on Psychosocial risks, stress and mental health at work

(2026/2023(INL))

Rapporteur for opinion: Irena Joveva

(Initiative – Rule 47 of the Rules of Procedure)

Amendments 473 paragraphs

The Committee on Public Health presents the following to the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, as the committee responsible:

Amendment 1

Motion for a resolution

Citation 20 a (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
– having regard to the 2022 policy brief of the World Health Organization and of the International Labour Organization entitled ‘Mental health at work: policy brief’,

Amendment 2

Motion for a resolution

Recital A

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
A. whereas work-related psychosocial risks arise primarily from exposure to risk factors related to the organisation, design and management of work, as well as from the social and relational context of work, and working conditions;A. whereas work-related psychosocial risks arise primarily from exposure to risk factors related to the organisation, design and management of work, as well as from the social and relational context of work, and working conditions; whereas workers are often exposed simultaneously to multiple and interacting risk factors, whereas such cumulative and combined exposure can amplify the negative impact of work-related psychosocial risks;

Amendment 3

Motion for a resolution

Recital A a (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
Aa. whereas in addressing and preventing psychosocial risks, measures should be proportionate to the size, resources and organisational capacity of undertakings, in particular SMEs;

Amendment 4

Motion for a resolution

Recital B

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
B. whereas exposure to psychosocial risk factors such as excessive workload, unreasonable work pace, workforce shortages, lack of autonomy, job insecurity, poor management practices, dysfunctional performance and merit-based evaluation systems significantly increase work-related psychosocial risks;B. whereas, according to the ILO report on “The psychosocial working environment: Global developments and pathways for actions”, more than 840,000 people die each year from health conditions linked to psychosocial risks; whereas exposure to psychosocial risk factors such as excessive workload and unsafe staffing levels, unreasonable work pace, including with unpredictable schedules and inadequate rest periods, workforce shortages, lack of autonomy, job insecurity with unpredictable income and weak access to social protection, poor management practices, dysfunctional performance and merit-based evaluation systems, including those based on algorithmic and automated monitoring, as well as barriers to reporting psychosocial risks significantly increase work-related psychosocial risks; whereas supportive management and positive workplace relationships contribute significantly to mental well-being and can act as protective factors against psychosocial risks;

Amendment 5

Motion for a resolution

Recital C

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
C. whereas exposure to psychosocial risk factors has serious negative effects on workers’ mental and physical health, including work-related stress, burnout, anxiety disorders, depression, cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal disorders and long-term work incapacity;C. whereas work, despite not being the sole dimension of individuals’ lives, is an important part of it, whereas exposure to psychosocial risk factors at work has serious negative effects on workers’ mental and physical health, including work-related stress, burnout, anxiety disorders, depression, cardiovascular diseases, neurological and musculoskeletal disorders and long-term work incapacity and constitutes a motive to increased demand for mental healthcare and medication use;

Amendment 6

Motion for a resolution

Recital D

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
D. whereas Eurofound’s European Working Conditions Survey shows that exposure to high work intensity rose from 27 % in 2015 to 40 % in 2021 with one in three employees working at high work intensity, to tight deadlines or during their free time;D. whereas Eurofound’s European Working Conditions Survey shows that exposure to high work intensity rose from 27 % in 2015 to 40 % in 2021 with one in three employees working at high work intensity, to tight deadlines or during their free time; whereas the effects of this are particularly stark in the case of continuous shift work, night work and systematic staff shortages;

Amendment 7

Motion for a resolution

Recital D a (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
Da. whereas gender, age, occupation, sector and country significantly impact the quality of jobs and working environments; whereas reportedly all workers identify a safe working environment for physical and mental health as the most important aspect; whereas the social environment index has decreased for women with simultaneous deterioration of the work intensity index, while the latter has improved for men 4aleading to an overall situation where the proportion of men in good health is higher than that of women;
4a https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/en/publications/all/european-working-conditions-survey-2024-overview-report

Amendment 8

Motion for a resolution

Recital E

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
E. whereas work-related psychosocial risks generate substantial social and economic costs, including absenteeism, labour market exit and reduced productivity across the Union, accounting for approximately 60% of lost working days in the EU, thereby contributing to labour shortages and increased work intensity for workers in organisations impacted by such shortages; whereas addressing work-related psychosocial risks, stress and mental health at work is beneficial for both workers and employers;E. whereas work-related psychosocial risks generate substantial social and economic costs, including absenteeism, labour market exit and reduced productivity across the Union, accounting for approximately 60% of lost working days in the EU, thereby contributing to labour shortages and increased work intensity for workers in organisations impacted by such shortages; whereas addressing work-related psychosocial risks, stress and mental health at work is beneficial for both workers and employers as it constitutes a key asset contributing to productivity, innovation, job satisfaction and staff retention; whereas promoting mental well-being at work should therefore be understood as a shared interest and commitment of employers and workers;

Amendment 9

Motion for a resolution

Recital E a (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
Ea. whereas work-related psychosocial risks intensify the burden on healthcare systems and health public expenditures and has a bearing on the financial viability of organisations in both the public and private sector, whereas investing in prevention, early intervention and accessible counselling services reduces pressure on healthcare and social protection systems and constitutes therefore an essential component of preventive public health policy;

Amendment 10

Motion for a resolution

Recital F

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
F. whereas adverse social behaviour, including verbal abuse, threats, unwanted sexual attention, bullying, violence and harassment, has a particularly severe and long-lasting impact on workers’ physical and mental health, while disproportionately affecting workers in health, public administration and client-facing occupations; whereas violence, including third-party violence from clients, patients, care recipients or service users, should be explicitly recognised and addressed;F. whereas adverse social behaviour, including verbal abuse, threats, sexual and psychological harassment, bullying, violence and harassment, has a particularly severe and long-lasting impact on workers’ physical and mental health, while disproportionately affecting workers in health, public administration and client-facing occupations as well as female workers in general; whereas all types of violence, including third-party violence from clients, patients, care recipients or service users, should be explicitly recognised and proactively addressed through a gender sensitive approach;

Amendment 11

Motion for a resolution

Recital F a (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
Fa. whereas people with lived experience of mental health conditions and psychosocial disabilities face additional stigma, discrimination and barriers in employment, which can exacerbate psychosocial risks;

Amendment 12

Motion for a resolution

Recital F b (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
Fb. whereas healthcare workers are particularly exposed to acute psychosocial risks due to demanding working conditions, high emotional burden, shift work and frequent exposure to suffering and death; whereas aggressive behaviour towards health, social care and emergency service workers are particularly acute; whereas one in three doctors and nurses report depression and one in ten experience passive suicidal thoughts 5a; whereas one in three doctors and nurses have experienced bullying or violent threats at work, and one in ten have experienced physical violence and/or sexual harassment; whereas workers in the health and social care sector are exposed to a combination of psychosocial, physical, biological, chemical and musculoskeletal risks that may reinforce each other6a; whereas high emotional demands, staff shortages, long and irregular shifts, low autonomy, poor communication, moral distress, and violence or verbal abuse from patients, relatives, care recipients or service users create a particularly acute psychosocial risk profile in hospitals, long-term care, home care, emergency care and community services; whereas addressing these factors by ensuring safe staffing levels, adequate resourcing, supportive management practices with adequate supervision, adequate crisis preparedness, continuity of teams and post incident support, and decent working conditions is essential to both protect the physical and mental health of healthcare workers, to guarantee patient safety as well as the quality and continuity of patient care, ensure the quality of public services; whereas the exchange of best practices and fostering a culture of openness and transparency among healthcare professionals can support learning from each other;
5a https://iris.who.int/server/api/core/bitstrea%20ms/e584e5dd-735f-4985-8879%2067e310151fa9/content
6a https://healthyworkplaces.osha.europa.eu/sites/hwc/files/hwx/publication/Digital%20platform%20work%20health%20social%20care_en.pdf

Amendment 13

Motion for a resolution

Recital F c (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
Fc. whereas workers in the education sector are exposed to high levels of psychosocial risks due to increasing workloads, staff shortages, administrative burden and emotional demands, whereas those factors contribute to stress, burnout and workforce shortages, and require targeted measures comparable to those applied in the healthcare sector;

Amendment 14

Motion for a resolution

Recital F d (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
Fd. whereas farmers and agricultural workers face high levels of work-related stress and psychosocial risks stemming, inter alia, from long working hours, social isolation, lack of holidays, financial uncertainty, climate-related weather events and emerging plant and animal diseases; whereas these pressures contribute to an alarming rate of suicide7a in the sector; whereas access to mental health services and tailored support remains limited in many rural areas; whereas greater awareness, locally adapted psychological support, the use of farm advisory networks and rural community support groups, and measures promoting work-life balance are essential to improving the quality of life of EU farmers and agricultural workers;
7a https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/1059924X.2016.1211052?url_ver=Z39.88-2003픯_id=ori:rid:crossref.org픯_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed

Amendment 15

Motion for a resolution

Recital F e (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
Fe. whereas workers in other sectors also face particular challenges, such as veterinarians, who are frequently exposed to death, animal euthanasia, moral distress and conflicts with clients, workers in slaughterhouse and meatpacking 8a, as well as those handling content moderation9a, who are facing high level of psychological distress;
8a https://kar.kent.ac.uk/100440/
9a https://cyberpsychology.eu/article/view/33166

Amendment 16

Motion for a resolution

Recital G

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
G. whereas the current EU occupational safety and health (OSH) framework, in particular Directive 89/391/EEC, does not provide sufficiently specific binding rules stating the responsibility of the employer to address all risks;G. whereas the current EU occupational safety and health (OSH) framework, in particular Directive 89/391/EEC, does not provide sufficiently specific binding rules stating the responsibility of the employer to address all risk factors;

Amendment 17

Motion for a resolution

Recital H

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
H. whereas there is considerable variation in the prevalence of work-related psychosocial risks and in how they have been addressed in national legislation and wider policies, including those implementing the European social partners’ agreements on work-related stress and on harassment and violence; whereas such variation reflects differences in labour market structures, regulatory frameworks and implementation practices, thereby leading to unequal levels of protection across the Union;H. whereas there is considerable variation in the prevalence of work-related psychosocial risks and in how they have been addressed in national legislation and wider policies, including those implementing the European social partners’ agreements on work-related stress and on harassment and violence; whereas such variation reflects differences in labour market structures, regulatory frameworks and implementation practices, thereby leading to unequal levels of protection and discrepancies across the Union;

Amendment 18

Motion for a resolution

Recital I

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
I. whereas climate-related psychosocial risks, including exposure to extreme weather events and conditions and their outcomes, such as heat stress, eco-anxiety, and work-related stress linked to environmental transitions, are significant determinants of workers’ health and safety; whereas the integration of these risks in EU law would modernise it and ensure its continued relevance to the evolving world of work;I. whereas climate-related psychosocial risks and environmental stressors in the workplace, including exposure to extreme weather events and conditions, air pollution, poor indoor air quality and their outcomes, such as heat stress, eco-anxiety, cognitive overload, psychological strain as well as and work-related stress and fatigue linked to environmental transitions, are significant determinants of workers’ health and safety; whereas those risks disproportionately affect vulnerable workers and sectors, whereas the integration of these risks in EU law would modernise it and ensure its continued relevance to the changing nature of the workplace, while ensuring continuity of care during health and environmental crises;

Amendment 19

Motion for a resolution

Recital J

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
J. whereas EU-OSHA highlights the importance of participatory risk assessment processes and the effective involvement of workers and their representatives in preventing work-related psychosocial risks;J. whereas EU-OSHA highlights the importance of participatory risk assessment processes and the effective involvement of workers and their representatives in preventing work-related psychosocial risks in order to ensure that measures are effective, inclusive and grounded in actual workplace conditions and needs, including the adoption of efficient and sustainable organisational models and the involvement of professionals with operational responsibilities;

Amendment 20

Motion for a resolution

Recital K

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
K. whereas 29 % of workers report being not very well informed or not at all informed about the prevention of work-related stress at their workplace indicating a significant knowledge and communication gap on psychosocial risk prevention;K. whereas 29 % of workers report being not very well informed or not at all informed about the prevention of work-related stress at their workplace indicating a significant knowledge and communication gap on psychosocial risk prevention as well as insufficient access to early psychosocial support, occupational mental health guidance and referral pathways when symptoms emerge (103), not least to those entering the labour market for the first time (104);

Amendment 21

Motion for a resolution

Recital L

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
L. whereas the increasing use of digital technologies, algorithmic management and artificial intelligence contributes to technostress, cognitive overload, work intensification, social isolation and loss of autonomy, and often results in workers being required to adapt to machines rather than technology being adapted to workers;L. whereas the improper, disproportionate or non-transparent use of digital technologies, the lack of disconnection, algorithmic management and artificial intelligence can contributes to psychosocial risks, including technostress, cognitive overload, work intensification, social isolation and loss of autonomy, by resulting in an ‘ever-connected, ‘always on’, or ‘constantly on-call’ culture, whereas, conversely, using these tools responsibly can improve the organisation of work, safety, continuity of care and quality of services;

Amendment 22

Motion for a resolution

Recital M

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
M. whereas telework and flexible working arrangements, while providing autonomy and flexibility, have also been associated with increased work intensity, work–life interference, extended availability and the emergence of an “always-on” work culture, which can negatively affect mental health if not properly regulated;M. whereas digitisation, artificial intelligence, remote work and new employment arrangements are reshaping the psychosocial working environment, requiring organisations to identify risks and implement effective preventive measures; whereas telework and flexible working arrangements can provide important benefits, such as increased labour market participation, not least for workers and parents with long commuting time, and contribute to reducing psychosocial risks, notably through reduced commuting-related stress, increased working flexibility, and improved work-life balance, while also providing autonomy and flexibility, they have also been associated, when not properly managed, with increased work intensity, reduced social interaction, work–life interference, connection to work-related digital tools beyond working hours, extended availability and the emergence of an “always-on” work culture, which can negatively affect mental health if not properly regulated; whereas promoting digital and mental health literacy, good management practices and establishing a right to disconnect is essential to mitigate those risks;

Amendment 23

Motion for a resolution

Recital N

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
N. whereas women, young and older workers, workers in precarious or non-standard forms of employment, managerial staff, migrant workers and ethnic minorities, workers living with a chronic condition, and workers subject to intense performance monitoring and merit-based reward systems are disproportionately exposed to work-related psychosocial risks; whereas this is not due to individual vulnerability but a result of structural inequalities, power imbalances and discriminatory practices in the organisation of work, including sexism, ageism, racism, ableism, class-based discrimination and discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression; whereas these intersecting forms of discrimination constitute psychosocial risk factors in themselves;N. whereas women, including pregnant workers, workers returning from maternity and parental leave or that are breastfeeding, young and older workers, workers in precarious or non-standard forms of employment, managerial staff, migrant workers and ethnic minorities, workers living with a disability or chronic condition, such as diabetes, epilepsy, autoimmune diseases or cardiovascular conditions, and workers subject to intense performance monitoring and merit-based reward systems are disproportionately exposed to work-related psychosocial risks; whereas this is not due to individual vulnerability but a result of structural inequalities, power imbalances and discriminatory practices in the design organisation and management of work, including sexism, ageism, racism, ableism, class-based discrimination and discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression; whereas these intersecting forms of discrimination constitute psychosocial risk factors in themselves;

Amendment 24

Motion for a resolution

Recital N a (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
Na. whereas young people are disproportionately affected by anxiety, mental distress and burnout in the workplace, not least due to their more intensive use of digital technologies and the often-precarious nature of early career employment, whereas the expansion o of teleworking may further limit opportunities to build meaningful social connections, access informal learning, and receive adequate supervision and mentoring, all of which are essential at the beginning of a professional career; whereas these factors may increase the risk of isolation and frustration, thereby exacerbating psychosocial risks among young workers;

Amendment 25

Motion for a resolution

Recital O

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
O. whereas migrant workers are disproportionately exposed to psychosocial risks at work due to various factors such as precarious employment, unsafe working conditions, unequal treatment and barriers to accessing rights and reporting abuse; whereas workers in an irregular situation are particularly vulnerable to labour exploitation, abusive practices and fear of retaliation or deportation when seeking to assert their rights; whereas these risks are especially acute in sectors such as domestic work, where migrant women are overrepresented;O. whereas migrant workers are disproportionately exposed to psychosocial risks at work10a due to various factors such as precarious employment, unsafe working conditions, unequal treatment and barriers to accessing rights and reporting abuse; whereas workers in an irregular situation are particularly vulnerable to labour exploitation, abusive practices and fear of retaliation or deportation when seeking to assert their rights; whereas these risks are especially acute in sectors such as domestic work, where migrant women are overrepresented; and in large scale agriculture industry where migrant workers, often employed through intermediary agencies, face additional mental health challenges such as isolation, dependency on recruiters and limited access to support networks
10a https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/2cc5271d-a080-11ee-b164-01aa75ed71a1/

Amendment 26

Motion for a resolution

Recital Q

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
Q. whereas workers who report wrongdoing, occupational safety and health violations or work-related psychosocial risks, as well as direct and indirect witnesses, are particularly exposed to retaliation, isolation, intimidation and career penalties;Q. whereas workers who report wrongdoing, occupational safety and health violations or work-related psychosocial risks, as well as direct and indirect witnesses, are particularly exposed to retaliation, isolation, intimidation and career penalties; whereas the underreporting of work-related psychosocial risks and mental health conditions remains widespread due to stigma, fear of retaliation, and lack of awareness, thereby limiting access to justice and appropriate support;

Amendment 27

Motion for a resolution

Recital R

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
R. whereas secondary prevention plays a key role in protecting workers’ health by enabling the early detection of work-related health impairments, in particular those linked to psychosocial risks, and by ensuring timely intervention to prevent their aggravation; whereas it includes, inter alia, appropriate monitoring, alert and support mechanisms, including access to occupational health services and relevant support measures; whereas a structured approach to secondary prevention contributes to reducing the duration of absences, facilitating a sustainable return to work and preventing recurrence, thus complementing primary prevention measures;R. whereas mental health is an integral component of overall health, and access to timely affordable and quality mental health services is essential for the prevention and effective management of work-related psychosocial risks; whereas secondary prevention plays a key role in protecting workers’ health by enabling the early detection of work-related health impairments, in particular those linked to psychosocial risks, and by ensuring timely intervention to prevent their aggravation; whereas it includes, inter alia, appropriate monitoring, alert and support mechanisms, including access to occupational health services and relevant workplace-based support measures, including psychological support and counselling, where necessary; whereas employers should facilitate this access in coordination with public health services and Member States should ensure that when workers are exposed to work-related psychosocial risk factors, they should be subject to an independent medical or occupational assessment in order to determine its possible link to working conditions, whereas a structured approach to secondary prevention contributes to reducing the duration of absences, facilitating a sustainable return to work and preventing recurrence, thus complementing primary prevention measures;

Amendment 28

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
1. Stresses the urgent need to strengthen the EU legislative framework on the prevention, identification and management of work-related psychosocial risks and to ensure a high level of protection of workers’ health and safety;1. Recognises the urgent need for the Member States to effectively implement and enforce existing Union and national health and safety at work legislation, while stressing the urgent need to strengthen the EU legislative framework on the prevention, identification and management of work-related psychosocial risk factors to ensure a high level of protection of workers’ health and safety, including mental health, with a strong focus on primary prevention measures, addressing risks at their source; Highlights that such legislative framework should be based on the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality in full respect of the competences of the Member States and avoid unnecessary administrative burden on enterprises, particularly on SME’s, while ensuring high level of workers’ health and safety;

Amendment 29

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1 a (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
1a. Emphasises that work-related psychosocial risk factors must be understood in a modern and comprehensive manner, taking into account the cumulative impact of work organisation, employment insecurity, digitalisation, surveillance, trauma-exposed work, environmental pollution, climate-related risks, noise, light, poor indoor air quality and other workplace stressors on workers’ mental and physical health; Further stresses the far-reaching implications of work-related psychosocial risks on individuals, including adverse effects on mental and physical health, work–life balance, and private life, as well as the potential to cause economic hardship, particularly in cases of prolonged incapacity to work;

Amendment 30

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
2. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to explicitly recognise that work-related psychosocial risks give rise to occupational diseases, including mental health disorders, as well as to work-related accidents, and to adapt national systems for the recognition, prevention and compensation of occupational diseases and accidents at work accordingly; calls on the Commission to review and, where necessary, amend Commission Recommendation (EU) 2022/2337 of 28 November 2022 concerning the European schedule of occupational diseases accordingly;2. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to explicitly recognise that work-related psychosocial risks give rise to occupational diseases, including neurological and mental health conditions, as well as to work-related accidents; Calls on the Commission to provide support for the Member States to further develop and adapt national systems in a holistic and multifactorial approach for the recognition, prevention and compensation of occupational diseases and accidents at work accordingly; stresses the need to ensure that recognition systems are accessible, non-discriminatory and responsive to the needs of workers, including those with pre-existing mental health conditions and that they take into account both occupational and non-occupational determinants; calls on the Commission to review and, where necessary, amend Commission Recommendation (EU) 2022/2337 of 28 November 2022 concerning the European schedule of occupational diseases accordingly, while specifically including mental disorders of possible psychosocial work-related origin, in accordance with International Labour Organization Recommendation 194 (2002), as well as developing clear, evidence-based criteria for establishing causality in order to provide legal certainty for both workers and employers;

Amendment 31

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2 a (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
2a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to treat mental health at work as part of a broader Union preventive mental health policy, in line with Article 168 TFEU and the European Pillar of Social Rights, by addressing the social determinants of mental ill-health, strengthening mental health literacy, ensuring timely access to psychosocial support and mental healthcare services, improving data collection and monitoring, and paying particular attention to young workers and workers entering employment in the digital era;

Amendment 32

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
4. Calls on the Member States to ensure that psychosocial risk assessments are mandatory, systematic, participatory and properly documented in all workplaces, and undertaken with the effective involvement of workers and their representatives; calls for the systematic integration of a gender-sensitive and intersectional perspective in such assessments, taking into account discrimination and structural inequalities;4. Calls on the Member States, in line with the obligations under Article 9 of the OSH Framework Directive, to ensure that psychosocial risk assessments are proportionate systematic, participatory and properly documented according to specific contexts of in all workplaces; calls for the systematic integration of a gender-responsive and intersectional perspective in such assessments, taking into account discrimination and structural inequalities; stresses that assessments should take into account the size of the organisation; recalls that new emerging technologies can support employers to document exposure of workers to psychosocial risks facilitate the collection of data in order for employers to introduce workplace adjustments to limit and manage exposure to psychosocial risk factors, in full compliance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679;

Amendment 33

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4 a (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
4a. Highlights the need to adopt specific measures for certain sectors facing considerable organisational pressure as a result of negative psychosocial effects; calls, in that regard, on the Commission and Member States for raising greater awareness of the importance of mental health in c sectors facing a high rate of suicide; emphasises that this is an alarming phenomenon caused, inter alia, by high levels of stress, uncertainty, as well as vulnerability, social isolation, poor work-life balance, traumatic tasks, debt and economic hardship;; urges the Commission and the Member States to foster collaboration to develop a comprehensive mental health strategy for such sectors and ensure that appropriate EU funding for support measures is ensured; emphasises the value of tailor made approaches to specific and local circumstances, using various types of support services, including current advisory networks and other community support groups; considers that it is necessary to develop psychological support programmes, as well as measures promoting work-life balance, all of which will improve the quality of life of EU workers;

Amendment 34

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
5. Recalls the obligation to inform and consult workers and their representatives at all stages of psychosocial risk assessment, prevention and elimination, in accordance with EU labour law and social dialogue principles, ensuring the participation of workers and their representatives in the conception and implementation of measures and continuous monitoring of risks, through establishing dedicated bodies in workplaces where they do not exist and strengthening the prerogatives of existing health and safety committees by granting them rights to expertise;5. Recalls the obligation to inform and consult workers and their representatives at all stages of psychosocial risk assessment, prevention and elimination, in accordance with EU and national labour law and social dialogue principles ensuring the participation of workers and their representatives in the conception and implementation of measures and continuous monitoring of risks; stresses that the risk assessment should take into account the specific situation of workers with chronic conditions or disabilities whose health management may interact with psychological risk factors; stresses that, where such interactions are identified, employers shall provide individual reasonable accommodations in accordance with Directive 2000/78/EC in order to contribute to the mental health stability of the worker;

Amendment 35

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
6. Underlines the important role of social partners and collective bargaining in preventing and addressing work-related psychosocial risks, by ensuring structured social dialogue, strengthening workers’ protection, and promoting healthier, safer and more resilient workplaces;6. Underlines the important role of social partners and collective bargaining in preventing and addressing work-related psychosocial risks and risk factors (174), by ensuring structured social dialogue, strengthening workers’ protection, and promoting healthier, safer and more resilient workplaces;

Amendment 36

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
7. Calls on the Member States to ensure mandatory and continuous training for employers, managers, workers and workers’ representatives on work-related psychosocial risks and psychosocial risk factors, including harassment and violence, and prevention measures;7. Calls on the Member States to ensure mandatory, specialised and continuous training initiatives for employers, managers, workers and workers’ representatives on work-related psychosocial risks and psychosocial risk factors, including harassment, violence and on the impact of chronic conditions, as well as on prevention measures, stigma reduction, and mental health literacy, with particular attention to workers in their first employment setting, supported, where appropriate, by Union funding instruments such as ESF+ and other relevant programmes, as well as making use of European networks and organisations for vocational education and training, including Cedefop;

Amendment 37

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7 a (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
7a. Calls on Member States to ensure that occupational health services and healthcare professionals receive adequate and continuous training to better identify and assess psychosocial risks, including those specifically related to the workplace, and to enable early detection and intervention, in particular by raising awareness about the first signs of burnout and other work-related mental health conditions;

Amendment 38

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
8. Underlines the importance of clear, confidential, independent and accessible procedures to address cases of harassment, violence and discrimination at work, ensuring protection against retaliation and respect for victims’ rights;8. Underlines the importance of clear, confidential, independent and accessible procedures to address cases of harassment, violence and discrimination at work, ensuring protection against retaliation and respect for victims’ rights, paying particular attention to workers at risk of assault by third parties and thus ensuring they receive appropriate support;

Amendment 39

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8 a (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
8a. Urges the European Commission and the Member States to adopt a zero-tolerance to violence approach, especially for the professional sectors which are most heavily exposed; calls on the Member States to ensure that national collective agreements include clear and enforceable safety protocols that define the rights and responsibilities of all parties in incidents of violence; emphasises that these protocols should specify designated safe zones, outline procedures for immediate withdrawal from unsafe situations, clarify the consequences for perpetrators, underlines, in the case of the care sector, the need for a balanced approach that protects healthcare professionals’ right to a safe working environment and continuity of care through well-defined escalation and support mechanisms;

Amendment 40

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9

Motion for a resolutionUnchanged text included in the compromise
9. Calls on the Commission and Member States to strengthen labour inspectorates through the establishment of minimum EU-wide standards for labour inspections in the field of work-related psychosocial risks, including specialised training, harmonised assessment and monitoring tools, and adequate resources to support effective prevention and enforcement;9. Calls on the Commission and Member States to strengthen labour inspectorates through the establishment of minimum EU-wide standards for labour inspections in the field of work-related psychosocial risks, including specialised training, harmonised assessment and monitoring tools, and adequate resources to support effective prevention and enforcement;

Amendment 41

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
10. Urges Member States to incorporate primary and secondary prevention measures into their national occupational health and safety strategies, ensuring effective coordination between healthcare systems, labour inspectorates, and social partners; emphasizes the importance of improving the collection, monitoring, and reporting of data on work-related psychosocial risks and associated absences, occupational diseases and injuries to enable a more accurate evaluation of the effectiveness of prevention and intervention measures;10. Urges Member States to incorporate primary, secondary and tertiary prevention measures into their national occupational health and safety strategies while paying particular attention to more vulnerable groups, such as young people and LGBTQI+, ensuring effective coordination between healthcare systems, labour inspectorates, and social partners; emphasizes the importance of improving the collection, monitoring, and reporting of data disaggregated by gender, age, disability and type of employment, on work-related psychosocial risk factors and associated absences, occupational diseases and injuries to enable a more accurate evaluation of the effectiveness of prevention and intervention measures, while ensuring that such data collection respects workers’ privacy and is not used to stigmatise or penalise workers;

Amendment 42

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10 a (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
10a. Notes that while telework and flexible working arrangements can provide important benefits, including improved work-life balance and increased labour market participation, in particular for parents and workers with long commuting times, full-time telework may also have detrimental effects on workers, particularly where it is imposed by the employer; highlights that, if not properly managed, such arrangements can hinder the development of meaningful social connections with colleagues, reduce opportunities for informal exchanges and peer support, and limit access to on-the-job learning and professional guidance; underlines that prolonged isolation, combined with blurred boundaries between professional and private life, may increase the risk of stress and burnout1a; stresses, therefore, the importance of ensuring a balanced and voluntary approach to telework, including adequate opportunities for in-person interaction managerial support, and the promotion of digital and mental health literacy;
1a [1] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2021/662904/IPOL_STU%282021%29662904_EN.pdf

Amendment 43

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
11. Stresses the need for comprehensive return-to-work policies that support employees following illness or psychosocial difficulties; encourages Member States to develop tailored reintegration programs, including workplace adjustments, flexible schedules, and continuous occupational health support; highlights the importance of collaboration between employers, healthcare providers, and social partners to facilitate a smooth, sustainable, and inclusive return to work, while preventing relapses and promoting long-term well-being;11. Stresses the need for comprehensive return-to-work policies, proportionate to the size and organisational capacity of employers, that support employees following maternity and parental leave, illness, rehabilitation or all types of psychosocial difficulties, including pregnancy related complications, miscarriage or postnatal period; encourages Member States to develop tailored and gradual reintegration programs, including workplace adjustments, flexible schedules, and continuous occupational health support; highlights the importance of collaboration between employers, including human resources and occupational health services, healthcare providers, and social partners to facilitate a smooth, sustainable, and inclusive return to work, while preventing relapses and promoting long-term well-being;

Amendment 44

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11 a (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
11a. Calls on the Member States to ensure timely, affordable and confidential access for all workers to occupational psychological counselling by qualified mental health professionals, psychosocial support and mental healthcare referral services, in order to support prevention, early intervention and care for workers, particularly those especially exposed;

Amendment 45

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11 b (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
11b. Highlights the fact that Member States are unevenly equipped to protect workers against work-related psychosocial risks; calls on the Commission, therefore, to strengthen knowledge in the Union about the most effective prevention measures by improving data collection and monitoring, assessing the impact of existing policies, and promoting the exchange of best practices among Member States, undertakings and social partners;

Amendment 46

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
12. Stresses the need for minimum standards in the recognition, prevention and compensation of work-related psychosocial risks, in order to avoid legal fragmentation and unequal protection of workers; calls on the Commission to propose a clear and legally binding definition of work-related psychosocial risks and psychosocial risk factors, covering risks arising from work organisation, design and management practices, the social and relational context at work and working conditions, and including issues such as work-related stress, burnout, harassment, violence and discrimination;12. Stresses the need for minimum standards in the recognition, prevention and compensation of work-related psychosocial risks and risk factors, in order to avoid legal fragmentation and unequal protection of workers; calls on the Commission to support and coordinate development of evidence-based strategies to prevent and mitigate psychosocial risk factors; in this regard, calls on the Commission to propose a clear and legally binding definition of work-related psychosocial risks and psychosocial risk factors, covering risks arising from work organisation, design and management practices, the social and relational context at work and working conditions, and including issues such as work-related stress, burnout, harassment, including mobbing, violence and discrimination, while ensuring coherence with existing Union legislation;

Amendment 47

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 13

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
13. Requests that the Commission submit, by the end of 2026, on the basis of Article 153(2), point (b), and Article 153(1), point (a), of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, a proposal for a directive on work-related psychosocial risks, stress and mental health at work, including minimum requirements with view to an equivalent, high level of protection for all workers in the Union following the recommendations set out in the Annex hereto;13. Requests that the Commission submit, after conducting an impact assessment, complemented by a Competitiveness and SME Test, on the basis of Article 153(2), point (b), and Article 153(1), point (a), of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, a legislative proposal on work-related psychosocial risks, stress and mental health at work, including proportionate and sustainable minimum requirements with view to an equivalent, high level of protection for all workers in the Union following the recommendations set out in the Annex hereto;

Amendment 48

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14 a (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
14a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure adequate and coordinated funding across the health, social and labour sectors, including through dedicated funding under the next Multiannual Financial Framework, for the implementation of workplace mental health measures, including access to expert guidance on effective interventions; calls for support to enterprises, in particular small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in implementing such measures without creating additional administrative burdens; considers that such funding should also be used to strengthen resources for advising, monitoring and enforcing occupational safety and health standards related to mental health, as well as to enhance the capacity of health and labour services to identify and address work-related mental health issues, thereby improving access to care;

Amendment 49

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – introductory wording

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
The European Parliament considers that, after conducting an impact assessment, complemented by a Competitiveness and SME Test, the Commission should submit a legislative proposal on work-related psychosocial risks, in which the following recommendations should be incorporated:

Amendment 50

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Recital 1

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
(1) The European Parliament has repeatedly called for the adoption of a specific EU directive to ensure a high and equivalent level of protection against work-related psychosocial risks for all workers in the Union.(1) The European Parliament has repeatedly called for the adoption of a specific EU directive2a to ensure a high and equivalent level of protection against work-related psychosocial risks and work-related psychosocial risk factors for all workers in the Union;
2a https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=oj:JOC_2022_347_R_0011

Amendment 51

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Recital 4

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
(4) The prevention of work-related psychosocial risks should be based primarily on collective and organisational measures, in accordance with the hierarchy of prevention, including the adjustment of workload, working time, job control, staffing levels, management practices and performance evaluation systems. Stresses that individual resilience training, counselling or wellbeing/wellness programmes cannot replace employers’ legal obligations to prevent work-related psychosocial risks by adapting work organisation, design and management.(4) The prevention of work-related psychosocial risks and risk factors should be based primarily on collective and organisational measures, in accordance with the hierarchy of prevention, including the adjustment of workload, working time, job control, respectful working environments, safe staffing levels, violence prevention, management practices and performance evaluation systems. Prevention measures should also consider cumulative and combined exposure of risk factors, particularly for workers with high work intensity exposure. Stresses that individual resilience training, counselling or wellbeing/wellness programmes cannot replace employers’ legal obligations to prevent work-related psychosocial risks and risk factors by adapting work organisation, design and management.

Amendment 52

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Recital 6

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
(6) Employers should ensure that work organisation, management practices and performance evaluation systems respect workers’ health, dignity and fundamental rights,(6) Employers should ensure that work organisation, management practices and performance evaluation systems respect workers’ health, dignity and fundamental rights. When automated performance monitoring are used to feed evaluation systems, the employers should ensure that such systems are adaptable to accommodate medical needs, without resulting in adverse consequences by penalising workers for psychological fluctuations linked to a chronic condition or disability,

Amendment 53

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Recital 6 a (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
(6a) To ensure the effective monitoring and enforcement of this legislative proposal on Union and national level, and its effects on ensuring improved health status of European citizens, Member States should ensure adequate and timely data collection on the identified psychosocial risks, particularly through establishing effective data collection tools to provide comparative data disaggregated by gender and age, while being mindful of unnecessary reporting burden,

Amendment 54

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 1 – paragraph 1

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
This Directive lays down minimum requirements to prevent, eliminate or, where this is not possible, reduce work-related psychosocial risks.This legislative proposal lays down minimum requirements and measures to prevent, eliminate or, where this is not possible, reduce work-related psychosocial risks and risk factors, and their potential outcomes which may include, inter alia, work-related stress, burnout, harassment, violence, mental health conditions, addiction or suicidal behaviour, neurological disorders, cardiovascular diseases and musculoskeletal disorders.

Amendment 55

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 1 – paragraph 2

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
It establishes binding organisational, structural and participatory obligations for employers in order to protect workers’ mental and physical health and to ensure safe and dignified working conditions.It establishes binding organisational, structural and participatory measures for employers in order to improve working conditions, protect workers’ mental and physical health, ensure timely access to psychosocial support and occupational mental health services and to ensure safe and dignified working conditions.

Amendment 56

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 1 – paragraph 3

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
This Directive shall be without prejudice to existing or future national and Community provisions which are more favourable to protection of the safety and health of workers at work.This Legislative Proposal shall be without prejudice to existing or future national and Union provisions which are more favourable to protection of the safety and health of workers at work.

Amendment 57

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 2 – paragraph 1

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
This Directive applies to workers in all sectors of economic activity, both public and private.This Legislative proposal applies to workers in all sectors of economic activity, both public and private, including within public administrations at local, regional, national and Union level.

Amendment 58

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 1

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
(1) “Work-related psychosocial risks” means work-related risks arising from exposure to psychosocial risk factors related to the organisation, design and management of work, the social and relational context at work and working conditions, which may affect workers’ mental and physical health, safety and dignity; such risks may lead, inter alia, to work-related stress, burnout, harassment, violence, mental disorders, addiction or suicidal behaviour, cardiovascular diseases and musculo-skeletal disorders;(1) “Work-related psychosocial risks” means work-related risks arising from exposure to psychosocial risk factors related to the organisation, design and management of work, the social and relational context at work and working conditions, which may affect workers’ mental and physical health, safety and dignity with the potential to cause psychological or physical harm, depending on duration, frequency and intensity of such exposures;

Amendment 59

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 2

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
(2) “Work-related stress” means a state of physical, emotional, and psychological strain resulting from prolonged exposure to work demands that exceed a worker’s capacity or resources; it is characterized not only by feelings of exhaustion, but also by heightened levels of tension, anxiety, or being persistently “on edge,” reflecting both overactivation (stress/anxiety) and depletion (fatigue);(2) “Work-related stress” means a state of physical, emotional, and psychological strain resulting from prolonged exposure to work demands that exceed a worker’s capacity, resources or from sustained exposure to other psychosocial risk factors; it is characterized not only by feelings of exhaustion, but also by heightened levels of tension, anxiety, or being persistently “on edge,” reflecting both overactivation (stress/anxiety) and depletion (fatigue);

Amendment 60

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 3

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
(3) “Psychosocial risk factors” means work-related risk factors related to the organisation, design and management of work, its social and relational context and working conditions, including high workload, high work intensity, long working hours, lack of autonomy, lack of support from supervisors, harassment, violence and discrimination behaviour, high emotional demands, high digital intensity, being subject to automated decision-making or monitoring systems, unrealistic targets;(3) “Psychosocial risk factors” means work-related conditions related to the organisation, design and management of work, its social and relational context and working conditions, including high workload, high work intensity, long and unpredictable working hours, lack of autonomy, lack of support from supervisors, lack of mentoring and inadequate organisational planning, harassment, violence and discrimination behaviour and social isolation, high emotional demands, lack of job role clarity and job insecurity, high digital intensity, being subject to automated decision-making or monitoring systems, dysfunctional and highly competitive performance-based evaluation systems, job insecurity, unpredictable scheduling and unsafe staffing levels;

Amendment 61

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 3 a (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
(3a) “moral distress” means when employees, particularly those in caring professions, encounter organisational constraints that prevent them from acting in accordance with their moral values and beliefs3a;
3a https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13591053251369373

Amendment 62

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 3 b (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
(3b) “Presenteeism” means employees presence at the workplace when exhibiting ill-health or illness, due to fear stemming from possible negative consequences of their absence being perceived or measured as being less productive, which could lead to them being made redundant, job loss, income loss and subsequent overall well-being being threatened from a socioeconomic stance;

Amendment 63

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 3 c (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
(3c) “Burnout” means an occupational syndrome caused by exposure to psychosocial risks and chronic workplace stress that have not been effectively prevented or managed by an employer; it is characterised by (a) persistent physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion, (b) increased psychological distance from work and (c) a diminished sense of professional productivity;

Amendment 64

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 4

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
(4) “Primary prevention” means measures aimed at eliminating and preventing work-related psychosocial risks at source through adaptations to work organisation, design and management, and working conditions;(4) “Primary prevention” means measures aimed at eliminating and preventing work-related psychosocial risks factors at source through adaptations to work organisation, design and management, and working conditions, including access to psychological support or counselling, and measures to reduce chronic stress exposure and cumulative mental health burden;

Amendment 65

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 5

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
(5) “Secondary prevention” means measures aimed at the early identification and timely management of emerging adverse outcomes from exposure to work-related psychosocial risks in order to prevent their progression, reduce their impact, and avoid the development of more serious outcomes, including through screening, monitoring and targeted interventions for workers showing initial signs of exposure or harm.(5) “Secondary prevention” means measures aimed at the early identification and timely management of emerging adverse outcomes from exposure to work-related psychosocial risks factors in order to prevent their progression, reduce their impact, and avoid the development of more serious outcomes, including through screening, monitoring and targeted interventions for workers showing initial signs of exposure or harm in particular symptoms of mental health condition;

Amendment 66

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 5 a (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
(5a) "Tertiary prevention" means measures aimed at the rehabilitation and reintegration of workers who have suffered adverse health outcomes due to exposure to work-related psychosocial risk factors, providing clinical support to mitigate long-term disability, including mental health treatment and recovery support, and implementing workplace adjustments to prevent the recurrence of harm and minimise the persistence of chronic conditions.

Amendment 67

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 4 – point 1 – point a

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
(a) avoiding risks;(a) avoiding risk factors;

Amendment 68

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 4 – point 1 – point b

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
(b) evaluating the risks which cannot be avoided;(b) evaluating the risk factors which cannot be avoided;

Amendment 69

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 4 – point 1 – point c

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
(c) combating the risks at source;(c) combating the risk factors at source;

Amendment 70

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 4 – point 1 – point d

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
(d) adapting the work to the individual, especially as regards the design of workplaces, the choice of work equipment and the choice of working and production methods, with a view, in particular, to alleviating monotonous work and work at a predetermined work-rate and to reducing their effect on health;(d) adapting the work to the individual, especially as regards the design of workplaces, the choice of work equipment and the choice of working and production methods, with a view, in particular, to alleviating monotonous work and work at a predetermined work-rate, to avoiding imposed telework and to reducing their effect on health;

Amendment 71

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 4 – point 1 – point g

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
(g) developing a coherent overall prevention policy which covers technology, organization of work, working conditions, social relationships and the influence of factors related to the working environment;(g) developing a coherent overall prevention policy which covers technology, organization of work, working conditions, safe staffing levels social and working relationships and the influence of factors related to the working environment;

Amendment 72

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 4 – point 1 – point i a (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
(ia) promoting efficient and sustainable models of organisation.

Amendment 73

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 4 – point 2 – paragraph 2

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
They shall also provide regular and adequate training to workers, managers and supervisors on work-related psychosocial risks and risk factors related to work organisation, design and management, the social and relational context at work, and working conditions, and prevention measures.They shall also provide regular and adequate training to workers, managers and supervisors on work-related psychosocial risks and risk factors related to work organisation, design and management, the social and relational context at work, and working conditions, to enable them to identify, prevent and address psychological risks and risk factors. Such training shall include mental health literacy, the early recognition of symptoms of stress, anxiety, burnout and emotional exhaustion as well as development of communication, leadership and management skills.

Amendment 74

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 4 – point 3

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
3. Employers shall adopt and implement a code of conduct defining and prohibiting violence, harassment and discrimination behaviour that undermines workers’ dignity, health or well-being.3. Employers shall adopt and implement a code of conduct defining and prohibiting violence, harassment and discrimination behaviour that undermines workers’ dignity, physical and/or mental health or well-being.

Amendment 75

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 4 – point 4

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
4. Employers shall also implement appropriate secondary prevention measures, including early detection mechanisms, access to occupational health services, and timely support for workers exposed to psychosocial risks.4. Employers shall also implement appropriate secondary prevention measures, including early detection mechanisms and risk-based prevention protocols for third-party violence in the healthcare sector, access to occupational health services, and timely support for workers exposed to psychosocial risks, while respecting the confidentiality and dignity of workers. Employers shall also implement appropriate tertiary prevention measures, including coordinated return-to-work programmes, and the implementation of necessary workplace adjustments for workers who have suffered health impairments, taking into account the size and organisational capacity of the employer..

Amendment 76

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 5 – point 1

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
1. Employers shall carry out a psychosocial risk assessment at least once per year and whenever significant changes to the organisation of work and organisational restructuring occur.1. Employers shall carry out a psychosocial risk assessment regularly, at least triennially and whenever significant changes to the organisation of work occur and organisational restructuring, with the effective involvement of workers and their representatives and with a view to identifying risks to workers’ mental health at an early stage and by using methods appropriate to the size and structure of the workplace.

Amendment 77

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 5 – point 1 a (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
1a. For employers with low identified risk levels, Member States may allow longer intervals between regular assessments, without prejudice to the obligation to carry out an assessment where significant changes occur.

Amendment 78

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 5 – point 2 – paragraph 1

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
The psychosocial risk assessment shall evaluate psychosocial risk factors including workload, work intensity, lack of autonomy, long working hours, lack of appropriate rewards and recognition resulting from poor performance and evaluation systems, emotional demands, exposure to adverse social behaviour, job insecurity, work–life interference, digital connectivity outside working time, or being subject to automated decision-making or monitoring systems;The psychosocial risk assessment shall evaluate psychosocial risk factors including excessive workload, unsafe staffing levels, high work intensity, lack of autonomy, long and unpredictable working hours, unrealistic deadlines, lack of support from supervisors, psychological and sexual harassment, violence and discriminatory behaviour, high emotional demands, exposure to adverse social behaviour, lack of role clarity, job insecurity and income instability, work–life interference, high digital intensity including excessive professional screen time, cumulative multi-device exposure and undue excessive surveillance, digital connectivity outside working time, or being subject to algorithmic and automated decision-making or monitoring systems;

Amendment 79

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 5 – point 2 – paragraph 2

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
Such assessment shall be based on scientifically validated methods.Such assessment shall be based on scientifically validated methods and may include, where appropriate, employee feedback mechanisms such as staff surveys or other forms of regular consultation.

Amendment 80

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 6 – title

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
Annual action planAction plan

Amendment 81

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 6 – point 1

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
1. On the basis of the psychosocial risk assessment, employers shall adopt an annual action plan setting out concrete measures to prevent, eliminate or reduce work-related psychosocial risks. Employers shall implement, monitor and evaluate the application of the annual action plan.1. On the basis of the psychosocial risk assessment results, employers shall adopt, a triennial action plan setting out concrete measures to prevent, eliminate, or where this is not possible, reduce work-related psychosocial risk factors, taking into account the size, resources and organisational capacity of the workplace. Employers shall implement, monitor and evaluate the application of the action plan.

Amendment 82

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 6 – point 1 a (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
1a. For micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, such measures may take the form of simplified or informal processes, including regular team discussions, internal communication mechanisms or basic action planning tools.

Amendment 83

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 6 – point 2 – point a

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
(a) measures to reduce excessive workload, workforce shortages, work intensity and reduce monotonous work;(a) measures to reduce excessive workload, workforce shortages, unsafe staffing levels work intensity and reduce monotonous work;

Amendment 84

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 6 – point 2 – point d

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
(d) measures to prevent abusive social behaviour such as harassment, bullying and violence;(d) measures to prevent abusive social behaviour and negative interpersonal relationships such as harassment, intimidation, violence and gender-based violence, including violence committed by third parties not employed by the employer, such as patients, users, clients, care recipients or accompanying persons; these said measures shall include specific assessment of this risk, protocols for notification and recording of incidents, and access to psychological support for affected workers;

Amendment 85

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 6 – point 2 – point e

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
(e) rules governing digital monitoring, surveillance and the use of artificial intelligence to prevent worker exposure to work-related psychosocial risks;(e) rules governing digital monitoring, surveillance and the use of artificial intelligence to prevent worker exposure to work-related psychosocial risk and risk factors;

Amendment 86

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 6 – point 2 – point f

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
(f) measures aimed at preventing extended availability and “always-on” work cultures, including technical and organisational safeguards;(f) measures aimed at preventing extended availability, presenteeism and “always-on” work cultures, including technical and organisational safeguards;

Amendment 87

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 6 – point 2 – point g

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
(g) targeted measures for sectors, occupations and groups of workers identified as being at higher risk, including health, public administration and client-facing services;(g) targeted measures for sectors, occupations and groups of workers identified as being at higher risk, including health, education, public administration, agriculture, meat-industry and client-facing services; sector-specific measures for health and social care, including prevention of moral distress and management of emotional demands arising from exposure to suffering and death, rest and recovery arrangements after critical incidents, risks associated with staff shortages, supervision and debriefing, and protocols for adverse social behaviour, harassment and violence in the healthcare sector, perpetrated by patients, relatives, care recipients or service users;

Amendment 88

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 6 – point 2 – point h

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
(h) measures for early intervention and support, including access to counselling, occupational health follow-up and mechanisms facilitating sustainable return to work.(h) measures for early intervention and support, including access to counselling, psychological first-line support, occupational mental health follow-up and referral to specialised mental healthcare where necessary, and mechanisms facilitating sustainable return to work;

Amendment 89

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 6 – point 2 – point h a (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
(ha) measures that integrate neuro-design and neuro-architecture to limit stressors and ensure workers' brain health and wellbeing;

Amendment 90

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 6 – point 2 – point h b (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
(hb) other measures aiming at mitigating the risk factors.

Amendment 91

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 6 – point 3

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
3. The action plan shall be subject to approval by the relevant protective and preventive services for psychosocial risks designated pursuant to Article 15. Workers representatives and trade unions shall be duly and systematically involved in the design, implementation and evaluation of this plan.3. The action plan shall be developed in consultation with the relevant protective and preventive services for psychosocial risks designated pursuant to Article 15. Workers’ representatives and trade unions shall be duly and systematically involved in the design, implementation and evaluation of this plan, taking into account the size and organizational structure of the workplace. The action plan shall be regularly reviewed and updated as part of an ongoing improvement process.

Amendment 92

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 6 – point 4 a (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
4a. The action plan shall include measurable indicators of effectiveness and follow-up mechanisms, ensuring traceability between risk assessment, preventive actions and improvements in addressing psychosocial risk factors.

Amendment 93

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 7 – paragraph 1

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
Any restructuring, reorganisation of work or introduction of surveillance or digital management technologies shall be subject to a prior psychosocial risk assessment.Any significant restructuring, reorganisation of work, including with regard to telework, or introduction of surveillance or digital management technologies shall be subject to a prior psychosocial risk assessment, including an evaluation of the impact on mental health, by employers and in cooperation with workers’ representatives.

Amendment 94

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 7 – paragraph 1 a (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
Employers shall integrate results into their occupational safety and health management systems, as regards possible risks of work-related accidents, psychosocial and ergonomic risks as well as undue pressure put on workers. The use of digital management technologies shall respect workers’ wellbeing and shall not put at risk their safety or their physical and mental health (31).

Amendment 95

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 8 – title

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
Right to a psychologically safe working environment and to relevant support servicesRight to a psychologically safe and healthy working environment and to relevant support services

Amendment 96

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 8 – paragraph 1

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
Workers shall have the right to a psychologically safe working environment that does not expose them to continuous work-related psychosocial risks and degrading or humiliating practices that can result in significant negative impact on their physical and mental health.Workers shall have the right to a psychologically safe and healthy working environment that does not expose them to continuous work-related psychosocial risks and work-related psychosocial risk factors. Workers shall have the right to confidential, timely and affordable access to psychosocial support, occupational psychological counselling and referral to mental healthcare services where exposure to psychosocial risks has caused or is likely to cause harm.

Amendment 97

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 9 – paragraph 2

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
Employers shall ensure that the return to work is organised in a manner that protects the worker’s health and prevents recurrence of the risks that contributed to the absence.Employers shall ensure that the return to work is organised in a manner that protects the worker’s health and prevents recurrence of the risks and risk factors that contributed to the absence.

Amendment 98

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 9 – paragraph 3

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
This right shall form part of the employer’s obligations in the framework of secondary and tertiary prevention of work-related psychosocial risks.This right shall form part of the employer’s obligations in the framework of secondary and tertiary prevention of work-related psychosocial risks and risk factors.

Amendment 99

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 10 – point 2 – paragraph 2 – point d

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
(d) the measures addressing the work-related psychosocial risks that had a negative impact on their health.(d) the measures addressing the work-related psychosocial risks and risk factors that had a negative impact on their health, while ensuring that relevant findings from the return-to-work process are, where appropriate and with due regard to confidentiality, reflected in the review of the workplace risk assessment and preventive measures.

Amendment 100

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 12 – paragraph 1

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
Workers shall have the right to report work-related psychosocial risks, including anonymously.Workers shall have the right to report work-related psychosocial risks and risk factors, including anonymously.

Amendment 101

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 14 – paragraph 1

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
Workers and their representatives shall be informed, consulted and involved at all stages of the assessment, prevention, monitoring and elimination of work-related psychosocial risks.Workers and their representatives shall be informed, consulted and involved at all stages of the assessment, prevention, monitoring and elimination of work-related psychosocial risks and risk factors.

Amendment 102

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 14 – paragraph 2

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
Employers shall ensure that workers are clearly and regularly informed about work-related psychosocial risks and the measures in place to prevent them and mitigate their negative impact.Employers shall ensure that workers are provided with information, in writing and in a format accessible to people with disabilities, to ensure workers are clearly and regularly informed about work-related psychosocial risks and the measures in place to prevent them and mitigate their negative impact.

Amendment 103

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 15 – point 1

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
1. Employers shall designate one or more workers to carry out activities related to the prevention and management of psychosocial risks within the undertaking and/or establishment.1. Employers shall designate one or more workers to carry out activities related to the prevention and management of psychosocial risks and risk factors within the undertaking and/or establishment.

Amendment 104

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 15 – point 3

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
3. Where the competencies to carry out the activities referred to in paragraph 1 are not available within the undertaking and/or establishment, the employer shall enlist competent external services or persons with expertise in psychosocial risks.3. Where the competencies to carry out the activities referred to in paragraph 1 are not available within the undertaking and/or establishment, the employer shall enlist competent external services or persons with expertise in psychosocial risks and risk factors.

Amendment 105

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 15 – point 4

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
4. In such cases, the employer shall inform those services or persons of all relevant factors known to affect, or suspected of affecting, the mental health and well-being of workers, including work organisation, working conditions, and interpersonal relations at work.4. In such cases, the employer shall inform those services or persons of all relevant factors known to affect, or suspected of affecting, the mental health and well-being of workers, including work organisation, working conditions, unsafe staffing levels and interpersonal relations at work.

Amendment 106

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 15 – point 5 – first indent

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
– the designated workers must have the necessary capabilities, training and means in the field of psychosocial risk prevention;– the designated workers or external services must have the necessary capabilities, training and means in the field of psychosocial risk and risk factors’ prevention; where required by the size of the undertaking or by the nature and level of the risks identified, such services shall be multidisciplinary, bringing together expertise in occupational medicine, organisational psychology and ergonomics;

Amendment 107

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 15 – point 5 – third indent

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
– the number of designated workers and external services or persons consulted shall be sufficient, taking into account the size of the undertaking and/or establishment, the nature of the activities, and the level and distribution of exposure to psychosocial risks.– the number of designated workers and external services or persons consulted shall be sufficient, taking into account the size of the undertaking and/or establishment, the nature of the activities, and the level and distribution of exposure to psychosocial risk factors.

Amendment 108

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 15 – point 8 a (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
8a. Member States shall ensure that sufficient capacity is available for the prevention and management of work-related psychosocial risks, including through investment in education, training and the development of a qualified workforce, in order to support effective prevention, early intervention and appropriate support measures.

Amendment 109

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 16 – point 2 – first indent

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
– the identification and assessment of psychosocial risks;– the identification and assessment of psychosocial risks and risk factors;

Amendment 110

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 17 – paragraph 1

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
Member States shall ensure that labour inspection authorities are provided with adequate powers, training, expertise, tools and resources in the field of work-related psychosocial risks, including with view to identifying, assessing and investigating these risks effectively.Member States shall ensure, in accordance with national enforcement systems, that labour inspection authorities are provided with adequate powers, training, expertise, tools and resources in the field of work-related psychosocial risks, including with view to identifying, assessing and investigating these risks effectively and promoting prevention and support measures.

Amendment 111

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 17 a (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
Article 17a
Occupational health services Member States shall develop education and training programmes related to psychosocial risks at work, for the purpose of allowing occupational health services and all relevant occupational health professionals to receive adequate, continuous and multidisciplinary training on psychosocial risks at work, including their identification, assessment, prevention and management (35).

Amendment 112

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 19 – paragraph 1

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
The European Commission, in cooperation with the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) and the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA), shall monitor trends in work-related psychosocial risks across Member States, in order to assess the effectiveness of this Directive.The European Commission, in cooperation with the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound), the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) and Cedefop, in particular with regard to skills analysis, training and the adaptation of vocational education and training (VET) systems for the prevention and management of psychosocial risks, shall monitor trends in work-related psychosocial risks across Member States, including access to prevention, psychological support, counselling services and return-to-work measures, in order to assess the effectiveness of this legislative proposal. The findings shall be published at least every two years in the form of comparative reports between Member States, and submitted to the Commission.

Amendment 113

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 19 – paragraph 1 a (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
Member States shall ensure that effective data is collected for the purpose of monitoring trends in work-related psychosocial risks in accordance with obligations set in Chapter II. The data shall be collected within the framework of Regulation (EC) No 1338/2008 and prepared in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and regularly reported to institutions referred to in paragraph 1.

Amendment 114

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 19 – paragraph 1 b (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
Member States shall promote the active involvement of stakeholders, in particular social partners, in collecting and monitoring the work-related psychosocial risks and effectiveness of subsequent measures at national level.

Amendment 115

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 19 – paragraph 1 c (new)

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
Mental health impact review No later than 6 years after the transposition of this legislative proposal, the Commission shall assess its impact on workers’ mental health outcomes, access to psychosocial support and occupational mental health services.

Amendment 116

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 20 – paragraph 1

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
Member States shall lay down the rules on sanctions applicable to infringements of national provisions adopted pursuant to this Directive and shall take all measures necessary to ensure that they are implemented. The sanctions provided for shall be effective, proportionate and dissuasive. Member States shall, without delay, notify the Commission of those rules and of those measures and shall notify it, without delay, of any subsequent amendment affecting them.Member States, taking into account proportionality and impact on SMEs, shall lay down the rules on sanctions applicable to infringements of national provisions adopted pursuant to this legislative proposal and shall take all measures necessary to ensure that they are implemented. The sanctions provided for shall be effective, proportionate and dissuasive. Member States shall, without delay, notify the Commission of those rules and of those measures and shall notify it, without delay, of any subsequent amendment affecting them.

Amendment 117

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 22 – point 3

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
3. The autonomy of the social partners is to be respected. Member States should be able to allow the social partners, under specific conditions, to maintain, negotiate, conclude and enforce collective agreements which differ from certain provisions of this Directive, while respecting the overall protection of workers.3. The autonomy of the social partners is to be respected. Member States should be able to allow the social partners, under specific conditions, to maintain, negotiate, conclude and enforce collective agreements which differ from certain provisions of this legislative proposal, while respecting the overall level of protection of workers.

Amendment 118

Motion for a resolution

Annex I – Article 23 – paragraph 1

Motion for a resolutionAmendment
Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive within two years of its entry into force. They shall communicate to the Commission the text of the main measures of national law which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive.Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this legislative proposal within two years of its entry into force. They shall communicate to the Commission the text of the main measures of national law which they adopt in the field covered by this legislative proposal.
Annex: declaration of input 4 paragraphs

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur for opinion declares that she included in her opinion input on matters pertaining to the subject of the file that she received, in the preparation of the opinion, prior to the adoption thereof in committee, from the following interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register, or from the following representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies:

1. Interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register
European Federation of Nurses Associations
2. Representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies
None

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur for opinion.

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur for opinion declares that she has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament's Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.

Information on adoption by the committee asked for opinion 1 paragraph
Date adopted24.6.2026
Result of final vote+: –: 0:29 2 10
Information on adoption by the committee responsible 1 paragraph
Date adopted2.9.2026
Result of final vote+: –: 0:41 12 4

Procedure pages

How the committees handled the text, and how their members voted on it.

Final vote by roll call by the committee asked for opinion 4 paragraphs

22 · For

ESN
Mary Khan
EPP
Henrik Dahl, Angelika Niebler, Emil Radev, Sven Simon, Axel Voss, Marion Walsmann, Michał Wawrykiewicz
Patriots
Ton Diepeveen, Juan Carlos Girauta Vidal, Philippe Olivier
Renew
Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Lukas Sieper, Dainius Žalimas
S&D
José Cepeda, Matthias Ecke, Marit Maij, René Repasi, Krzysztof Śmiszek
The Left
Mario Furore
Greens
Sergey Lagodinsky, Kira Marie Peter-Hansen

0 · Against

3 · Abstained

ECR
Tobiasz Bocheński, Mario Mantovani, Dominik Tarczyński

26.6.2026

Final vote by roll call by the committee asked for opinion 3 paragraphs

29 · For

ECR
Aurelijus Veryga
No group
Monika Beňová
EPP
Hildegard Bentele, Michalis Hadjipantela, Sérgio Humberto, Adam Jarubas, Marie-Sophie Lanig, Letizia Moratti, Elena Nevado del Campo, Jessica Polfjärd, Manuela Ripa, Oliver Schenk
Renew
Stine Bosse, Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová, Jérémy Decerle
S&D
Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis, Christophe Clergeau, Nicolás González Casares, Romana Jerković, Victor Negrescu, Nikos Papandreou, Günther Sidl, Tiemo Wölken
The Left
Sebastian Everding, Catarina Martins, Dario Tamburrano
Greens
Martin Häusling, Ignazio Roberto Marino, Tilly Metz

2 · Against

ESN
Christine Anderson
Patriots
Gerald Hauser

10 · Abstained

ECR
Carlo Ciccioli, Emmanouil Fragkos, Michele Picaro, Ruggero Razza
No group
Kateřina Konečná
EPP
Tomislav Sokol
Patriots
Laurent Castillo, Valérie Deloge, Viktória Ferenc, Tomáš Kubín
Final vote by roll call by the committee responsible 3 paragraphs

41 · For

No group
Branislav Ondruš
EPP
Maravillas Abadía Jover, Hildegard Bentele, Andrzej Buła, David Casa, Gheorghe Falcă, Niels Geuking, Norbert Herhammer, Sérgio Humberto, Martine Kemp, Isabelle Le Callennec, Jagna Marczułajtis-Walczak, Eleonora Meleti, Letizia Moratti, Liesbet Sommen, Romana Tomc
Renew
Grégory Allione, Valérie Devaux, Elisabetta Gualmini, Hristo Petrov, Jana Toom
S&D
Marc Angel, Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, Estelle Ceulemans, Vivien Costanzo, Alicia Homs Ginel, Marina Kaljurand, Marit Maij, Ana Catarina Mendes, Idoia Mendia, Matjaž Nemec, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Marianne Vind
The Left
Konstantinos Arvanitis, Leila Chaibi, Per Clausen, Kathleen Funchion, João Oliveira
Greens
Katrin Langensiepen, Maria Ohisalo, Villy Søvndal

12 · Against

ECR
Elena Donazzan, Chiara Gemma, Marlena Maląg, Georgiana Teodorescu, Francesco Torselli, Mariateresa Vivaldini
ESN
Petr Bystron, Petar Volgin
EPP
Henrik Dahl
Patriots
Margarita de la Pisa Carrión, Ernő Schaller-Baross, Petra Steger

4 · Abstained

No group
Jan-Peter Warnke
Patriots
Mélanie Disdier, Julien Leonardelli, Séverine Werbrouck