1. Health and Safety Executive HSE's engagement with the EU Information for SBTAF Stuart Bristow International Unit

2. Overview Jargon The Agency The Advisory Committee Making EU laws –Informal stage –Formal stage Social partners EP and Council

3. Getting the jargon out of the way The Council of the European Union –COREPER; Working Parties; UKRep; Presidency/Trio The European Parliament –Groups; Rapporteurs; Committees; Plenary The European Commission –DG EMPL, DG MARK etc

4. The Agency The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, EU-OSHA (Bilbao, Spain) –Focal Points –Expert groups –Deals with research, advice and information Has no legislative role

5. The Advisory Committee The Advisory Committee on Safety and Health at Work –Tripartite Discussion, consensus agreement –Working parties produce draft opinions that are adopted at plenary meetings (twice a year)

6. Making EU laws – informal stage 1.Commission senses need –EP own-initiative report –Agency research summary –Pressure groups 2.Commission may announce plans –Annual plan of work –Ongoing work (especially comitology) 3.Discussions with interested parties –Member states and social partners through Advisory Committee

7. Making EU laws – formal stage (1) 4.Commission drafts a proposal and sends it to the social partners (twice) –Principles of the proposal –Details 5.EITHER –Social partners negotiate binding agreement OR –Commission puts proposal to Council and EP for Directive

8. Making EU laws – formal stage (2) 6.Ordinary legislative procedure: –Dossier assigned to EP Committee(s) and a Council Working Party –EP Committee considers Rapporteurs report; then goes to EP plenary –Working Party, then COREPER, then Council consider EPs ideas First reading deal –Back to EP (Cttee & plenary), then back to Council (via WP & COREPER) Second reading deal –Conciliation committee

9. Influencing points Formal: Council Formal: EP Formal: 2nd Social Dialogue Formal: 1st Social Dialogue Informal: EC consults – e.g. ACSH Informal: EC announces plans Informal: EC senses need Time Influence MEPs, esp. Rapporteurs, Chairs BusinessEurope, UEAPME Commisioners, DGs

10. HSEs communications with stakeholders (1) Euronews on the HSE website –On the horizon –Social dialogue –Under negotiation –Under implementation Updated whenever there is something new to say http://www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/europe/euronews.htm

11. HSEs communications with stakeholders (2) Once a proposal reaches the formal stage, policy team will set up a stakeholder group, to allow consultation as negotiations develop