Trade Unions have repeatedly spoken out against the consistent under-recognition of many occupational diseases in the different countries of the EU. The present European Schedule of Occupational Diseases (elaborated in 1990) will be revised.

The choice by the Commission of a further Recommendation in 2002 is not relevant in light of the failure to achieve harmonization on the back of Recommendations. There is a manifest inconsistency between the Community strategy on health at work laid down for the period 2002-2006 and the lack of any substantive harmonization on the notification and recognition of occupational diseases. The Community strategy is all about achieving convergence between national policies based on a "benchmarking" of occupational diseases.

The position of the workers group of the Advisory Committee for Safety and Hygiene is expressed in a document.

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