evaluation of the european strategy on safety and health at work ...

106 EVALUATION OF THE EUREVALUATION OF THE EUROPEAN STRATEGY ON SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK 2007-2012106disability. It is important to differentiate between mental wellbeing or its absence(used by many as an alternative term to stress) and clinical mental illness and <strong>the</strong>needs <strong>of</strong> those who are mentally ill, both in gaining initial access to <strong>the</strong> workplaceor in being rehabilitated to <strong>the</strong>ir workplace following illness, should not beoverlooked.Actions by <strong>the</strong> EUsocial partners inrespect to frameworkagreementsTwo autonomous framework agreements have been signed and implemented by <strong>the</strong>EU social partners: <strong>the</strong> 2004 framework agreement on work-related stress and <strong>the</strong>2007 framework agreement on harassment and violence at work. In addition, in2010, several EU sectoral social partners adopted common guidelines on protectingworkers from third-party violence. On <strong>the</strong> basis <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 2008 EU social partners’implementation report on <strong>the</strong> framework agreement on work-related stress, 133 <strong>the</strong>Commission drafted, in 2011, its own conclusions on <strong>the</strong> implementation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>agreement in <strong>the</strong> Member States. 134 The report concluded that <strong>the</strong> implementation<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Agreement was a significant step forward and that it added real value inmost Member States, although some shortcomings in coverage, impact <strong>of</strong>measures, and <strong>the</strong> provision <strong>of</strong> a comprehensive action-oriented framework wereidentified. It fur<strong>the</strong>r highlighted that <strong>the</strong>re was room for improvement, both atnational and EU level, as regards extending protection, and fur<strong>the</strong>r developingadequate responses to <strong>the</strong> challenge. It was assessed that <strong>the</strong>re was scope for allstakeholders to consider fur<strong>the</strong>r initiatives to ensure that <strong>the</strong> objective was reached.The mid-term review <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> European Strategy highlighted that on this basis, <strong>the</strong>Commission would take fur<strong>the</strong>r action to streng<strong>the</strong>n implementation but noevidence was found <strong>of</strong> this. EU and national stakeholders interviewed havementioned that <strong>the</strong> Agreement has had a positive impact at <strong>the</strong> local level. Inparticular in many Member States, social partners have taken action beyond whathas been prescribed in <strong>the</strong> Agreement. These actions include training, stressbarometers, assessment tools for establishments, <strong>the</strong> provision <strong>of</strong> concrete advice toactors at establishment level, guidance documents, surveys and awareness raisingactivities.4.5.3 Summary <strong>of</strong> findings on objective 4: RisksThe outcomes, summarised in Table 4-19, can be seen against <strong>the</strong> dual aims <strong>of</strong>identifying and researching new risks and fostering action on ongoing risks,especially those relating to mental wellbeing. Horizon scanning activities bydifferent EU agencies has resulted in a degree <strong>of</strong> duplication <strong>of</strong> effort, both inrespect <strong>of</strong> general <strong>evaluation</strong>s and regarding specific at risk groups such asvulnerable groups.133 Implementation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> European Autonomous Framework Agreement on Work-RelatedStress, Report by <strong>the</strong> European Social Partners, Adopted at <strong>the</strong> Social Dialogue Committeeon 18 June 2008134 Commission Staff Working Paper, Report on <strong>the</strong> implementation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> European socialpartners’ Framework Agreement on Work-related Stress, SEC(2011) 241 final, Brussels,February 2011http://projects.cowiportal.com/ps/A019055/Documents/3 Project documents/Interim and final report/Final report October 2012/OSH <strong>evaluation</strong>report_Final_submitted14 March 2013.docx