Background

Work-related psychosocial risks, including stress, burnout and anxiety, are among the EU's most reported occupational health problems. The International Labour Organization links psychosocial risks to over 840 000 deaths a year globally. They also impose costs on employers and social protection systems.

Digitalisation is changing the organisation of work, with telework becoming common. This brings flexibility and benefits for work-life balance, but also risks of longer and irregular hours, isolation and difficulty disconnecting. Digital tools and AI are increasing surveillance, work intensity and the pace of work. Heat and extreme weather add further pressure. These changes have brought work-related psychosocial risks to the fore, and the Commission recognises the need to align EU rules with new realities.

EU occupational safety and health law rests on Framework Directive 89/391/EEC, which obliges employers to assess and prevent all risks at work. However, it does not specifically name psychosocial risks, leaving their coverage open to interpretation. Other instruments address related aspects: the Display Screen Equipment Directive mentions mental stress, the Working Time Directive mentions heavy mental strain, and the 2024 Platform Work Directive and AI Act partly address automated monitoring and management decisions affecting workers. EU-level social-partner framework agreements on work-related stress (2004) and harassment and violence at work (2007) address these risks explicitly but are not binding on employers. Consequently, national rules diverge widely, leaving workers' protection uneven across the EU.

In its quality jobs roadmap, the Commission announced plans to revise the Workplace and Display Screen Equipment Directives, to update protection in modern workplaces. It has since held a two-stage consultation with the social partners on the proposed quality jobs act, including on psychosocial risks and possible binding or non-binding measures. The Commission is expected to table a proposal in late 2026.

European Parliament position

Parliament has long pressed for EU action on psychosocial risks and mental health at work. In 2021 it called for a directive on the right to disconnect; in 2022, for stronger action in resolutions on the EU strategic framework on health and safety and mental health in the digital world of work, the latter setting out a broader agenda for binding measures. In 2023 it renewed this call in a mental health resolution. Its 2025 resolution on AI at work called for mandatory psychosocial risk assessments of automated systems.

In September, the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) adopted a legislative-initiative report on psychosocial risks, stress and mental health at work. It asks the Commission to bring forward a legislative proposal based on Article 153 TFEU. The report also calls for stronger labour inspectorates and recognition that work-related psychosocial risks give rise to occupational diseases. It seeks a right to a supported return to work after absence, and a reversal of the burden of proof where a worker's health has been harmed by exposure. Its annex sets out recommendations on the content of the proposal, including definitions and binding employer obligations.