The ETUI-REHS unveiled its strategy for improving machinery standards through users’ feedback, informed by five years’ research, at a seminar on 27 March. Under the chairmanship of Bart Samyn, Deputy General Secretary of the European Metalworkers' Federation (EMF), the five ETUI-REHS national partners – from Italy, Germany, France, United Kingdom and Finland – presented the main findings of the project on forklift trucks, together with a selection of design issues arising directly out of users' experience.

Officials from the European Commission and CEN welcomed the ETUI-REHS’ approach to collecting and structuring users’ knowledge on selected machines, and making it available to the players involved in implementing and enforcing the Machinery Directive. The seminar gave an opportunity to engage the debate on what practical steps need to be taken to help set up a permanent mechanism for feeding users' experience into a knowledge base that can guide standards work, market surveillance activities and Community initiatives to strengthen the legislative framework.

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