Occupational safety and health in Europe - state and trends 2023 
European Agency for Safety and Health at Work – EU-OSHA 124 
example, in Sweden. 378  Meanwhile, the spectrum of guidance developed regarding work -related 
psychosocial risks is very wide; it covers aspects such as job satisfaction (overall level of wellbeing), 
engagement, performance and work-related stress,379 and also discrimination, harassment, aggression 
and violence.380 
 
6.2 EU and national OSH strategies  
The EU and many Member States applied and apply strategic approaches, based on EU or national 
evidence of the stat e of OSH. OSH strategies are a steering instrument to focus the activities of all 
actors on major recognised deficits of OSH infrastructures or processes.381  
The newest EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work 2021- 2027 puts the focus on 
change, with the title ‘Occupational safety and health in a changing world of work’.382 Consequently, the 
strategic framework focuses on three key objectives for these years:  
• anticipating and managing change in the new world of work brought about by the green, digital 
and demographic transitions; 
• improving prevention of workplace accidents and illnesses;  
• increasing preparedness for any potential future health crises. 
The proposed focus areas and actions are related to these three objectives. Under the first key objective 
there are actions like ‘Modernising and simplifying EU OSH rules in the context of the green and digital 
transitions’; a special focus is on psychosocial and ergonomic risks. The second objective promotes a 
vision zero approach to work-related deaths, particularly referring to hazardous substances and 
cardiovascular diseases, the promotion of health at work and inclusive workplaces for all.383 
The third objective responds to the impact of the pandemic situation in 2020 and 2021. It includes the 
development of emergency procedures for future similar situations (‘Health crisis’).  The Strategic 
Framework r epeats and corroborates the value of research and data- based evidence by stating: 
‘Research and data collection, both at EU and national level, are a pre- condition for the prevention of 
work-related diseases and accidents. Scientific advice and the latest technological developments feed 
into OSH legislation and policy.’ 
Also, many Member States have agreed on provision of better data as an objective in their national 
strategies.384 The EU strategy often gives orientation for the development of national OSH s trategies. 
Under the last strategy period, 24 of the 27 Member States had applied a strategy. Many national OSH 
strategies contained similar targets. EU-OSHA published an overview report on national strategies, and 
the OSH Barometer contains as one indicat or a harmonised overview on the aspects of national 
strategies.385 
OSH strategies are regarded as an important and innovative policy area, a chance for better 
collaboration, and also a very relevant joint national OSH activity. Those strategies help in priority setting 
and focused action on weaknesses. Strategies were often agreed in social dialogue processes, and 
many strategy actors also developed new and better monitoring instruments and indicators .386 Labour 
inspections play an important or essential role in most of these strategies. 387 
 
OSH Barometer – Steering of OSH, National strategies:  
https://visualisation.osha.europa.eu/osh-barometer/osh-steering/national-strategies 
OSHWiki: Section ‘OSH System at national level’, descriptions of the OSH Systems of 
the EU Member States: https://oshwiki.eu/wiki/Category:OSH_systems_at_national_level