The Cyprus presidency of the Council of the European Union has reached a provisional agreement with the European Parliament on updated rules designed to strengthen protection for workers exposed to hazardous substances that may cause serious illnesses, including cancer and asthma.
The agreement relates to the sixth revision of the Carcinogens, Mutagens and Reprotoxic Substances Directive (CMRD), which updates EU occupational health and safety legislation by introducing stricter measures against workplace exposure to dangerous substances.
"This agreement reflects our shared commitment to ensuring a high level of protection for workers against serious occupational health risks. By introducing new occupational exposure limit values, we are ensuring that the Union's legislative framework keeps pace with the latest scientific evidence and technological developments. This outcome will help create safer working environments for millions of workers across Europe and further strengthen the prevention of work-related illnesses," said Marinos Moushouttas, Minister for Labour and Social Insurance, Republic of Cyprus.
The revised rules are expected to prevent approximately 1,700 cases of lung cancer and 19,000 other work-related illnesses over the next 40 years.
Under the proposed revision, the directive will introduce new occupational exposure limit values (OELs) for cobalt and its inorganic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 1,4-dioxane. It will also add welding fumes to the list of substances, mixtures and processes covered under Annex I of the directive.
As part of the provisional agreement, the Council and Parliament agreed to expand the scope of the directive by introducing an OEL for isoprene. The agreement also extends the transitional period for applying the new OEL for PAHs to seven years and expands the sectors eligible for this transition period to include all carbon and graphite manufacturers.
The revised framework will also introduce requirements for regular breaks for workers using personal protective equipment (PPE) and clarify rules governing PPE use in relation to existing legislation.
In addition, the agreement updates the definitions of "carcinogen", "mutagen" and "reprotoxic substance" to reflect the inclusion of welding fumes in Annex I, recognising their potential reprotoxic effects. It also highlights the need for further guidance on welding fumes and notes that establishing occupational exposure limits alone does not completely remove risks to workers' health and safety.
The provisional agreement must now receive formal approval from both the Council and the European Parliament. Once adopted, the legislation will enter into force following legal and linguistic review.
The CMRD establishes measures to prevent and control risks arising from exposure to carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic substances in workplaces across the EU. The directive requires the introduction of occupational exposure limits wherever possible.
Following an evaluation of EU occupational safety and health legislation in 2017, the CMRD has undergone several updates, with five revisions already adopted addressing more than 40 hazardous substances. The European Commission presented its proposal for the sixth revision on 18 July 2025.
For European fabricators, shipyards, structural steel shops and metal manufacturers, the agreement signals three concrete compliance shifts:
- Welding fumes are now explicitly classified as a carcinogenic/mutagenic/reprotoxic exposure under Annex I, triggering the CMRD's risk-assessment, training, health-surveillance and exposure-reduction obligations.
- Tighter OELs for cobalt, PAHs and 1,4-dioxane — all released in stainless-steel, coated-metal and high-alloy welding — will require upgraded local exhaust ventilation, fume-extraction guns and, in some cases, supplied-air respiratory protection.
- PPE rules are strengthened, including mandatory regular breaks for workers using respirators and other protective equipment.
Companies that operate in both the EU and other jurisdictions (including the U.S. under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1026 for hexavalent chromium) should review welding fume controls, air-monitoring programs and health-surveillance records ahead of the transposition deadlines expected to follow formal adoption.
Primary source: Council of the EU press release, 23 June 2026.