COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

 

Press material Monday, 01 December 2025

● Council of the EU   01/12/2025 10:24 | Press release | European Globalisation Adjustment Fund: Council agrees its position on support for people at risk of unemployment   Today the Council agreed its position on a regulation that seeks to broaden the scope of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF), extending support to workers facing unemployment. The new rules would apply until the end of 2027, when the current EGF programme expires. “In a time of geopolitical turmoil, this revision of the Globalisation Fund is good news for European workers and companies. By extending the support to workers facing imminent job displacement across Europe, the EU can help more workers and self-employed into new employment.” — Kaare Dybvad Bek, Danish Minister for Employment The purpose of the EGF is to show solidarity with workers and self-employed people who have lost their job due to company restructuring, helping them get back into employment. Support measures that can benefit from EGF financing include active labour market policy measures geared towards equipping workers with the skills needed to move into a different role or find jobs, and may include training, certification of skills, job-search assistance or careers advice. At present, such support is reserved for people who have already been made redundant as a result of restructuring. However, lay-offs caused by restructuring often occur in waves, meaning that people who are at risk of redundancy also need access to training support and would benefit from receiving it at an earlier stage, before they are dismissed. Under the revised regulation, workers who are at imminent risk of losing their job as a result of company restructuring would also have access to support under the EGF, to reduce the rate of dismissals and help workers transition to new roles. Council’s position The Council has sought to clarify the scope of the revised regulation, ensuring workers at risk of imminent dismissal have access to support earlier on in the process. The Council’s position also ensures sufficient safeguards, such as the possibility for member states to carry out ex-ante checks in relation to companies’ financial and administrative capacities. The Commission would then be required to take these checks into account when making a decision. Member states would also have the possibility to allocate pre-financing to companies in instalments. Moreover, the Council has aimed to limit the administrative burden of the revised regulation by specifying that the Commission should produce non-binding guidance for both member states and companies. Regarding the determination of the financial contribution, the Council has updated the Commission’s legislative proposal to establish an upper limit of four million euros per year for any given company. The aim is to reduce the risk of a single company depleting the EGF’s resources, ensuring that funding will be available across member states. Next steps Once the European Parliament has established its position, the two institutions will enter into negotiations to agree on the final text. Background On 1 April 2025, the Commission adopted a proposal to amend Regulation (EU) 2021/691 (the regulation on the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers) as regards support to workers affected by imminent job displacement in enterprises undergoing restructuring. The Commission first announced its intention to amend the EGF regulation in the Industrial Action Plan for the European Automotive sector, published on 5 March 2025 as part of the Commission’s actions to support industrial sectors such as automotive and steel in the context of economic disruptions and geopolitical challenges. The revision was put forward alongside a proposal to amend the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), which is the EU’s main instrument for investing in people and supporting the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights. On 15 July 2025, the Council and the Parliament reached a provisional agreement on the revision of the ESF+ as part of the ongoing mid-term review of the EU’s cohesion policy. European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (Council general approach)   Visit the website

● Council of the EU

01/12/2025 10:05 | Press release | Exposure to hazardous substances at work: Council agrees its position on updated rules   Today, EU employment ministers have gone a step further towards preventing work-related diseases and protecting workers from exposure to harmful substances that can lead to serious illnesses such as cancer and developmental disorders. The Council has agreed its position on the sixth revision of the carcinogens, mutagens and reprotoxic substances directive (CMRD). This revision seeks to update the rules on exposure to hazardous substances in the workplace in line with the latest scientific developments. “No one should get sick from going to work. By updating the rules governing exposure to dangerous chemicals in the workplace, we are reducing health risks and supporting the wellbeing and decent working conditions for workers throughout the EU. Therefore, I am pleased that we managed to reach agreement in the Council on this important file today.” — Kaare Dybvad Bek, Danish Minister for Employment The revision is expected to prevent around 1,700 lung cancer cases and 19,000 other illnesses over the next 40 years. The provisions of the sixth revision The Commission’s proposed update to the CMRD: sets exposure limits for cobalt and its inorganic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and 1,4-dioxane adds welding fumes to the list of substances, mixtures and processes in Annex I of the directive The Council’s position The Council has further enhanced the updated rules by adding an occupational exposure limit for isoprene, in line with the recommendations of the European Chemicals Agency and of the tripartite Advisory Committee on Safety and Health at Work. The Council’s position also updates the definitions of “carcinogen”, “mutagen” and “reprotoxic substance” to reflect the inclusion for the first time in Annex I of an entry (welding fumes) with potentially reprotoxic effects. The existing definitions did not differentiate between the carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic effects of the substances, mixtures or processes listed in Annex I. Other changes include: new recital wording stressing the importance of developing further guidance on welding fumes a new recital pointing out that limit values contribute to a significant reduction of risks arising from exposure to carcinogens and mutagens Next steps Once the European Parliament has established its position, the two institutions will enter into negotiations to agree on the final text. Background The carcinogens, mutagens and reprotoxic substances directive (CMRD) sets out measures to prevent and protect against risks linked to exposure to carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic substances at work, and includes an obligation to establish limit values where possible. Following an evaluation of the EU’s occupational safety and health directives in 2017, the CMRD has undergone regular updates; five revisions have so far been adopted, addressing more than 40 key hazardous substances. On 18 July 2025, the Commission published a proposal for a sixth revision of the CMRD. Directive amending Directive 2004/37/EC as regards the addition of substances and setting limit values in its Annexes I, III and IIIa (Council’s general approach) Protecting workers: health and safety at work (background information)   Visit the website