The new European Commission’s ‘One In, One Out’ approach to ‘burdensome’ legislation would stymie progress towards safer, healthier workplaces.
One In, One OutPer Hilmersson

The incoming European Commission’s working methods statement, published in September, announced that the executive would ‘develop a new instrument to deliver on a “One In, One Out” principle’. It elaborated: ‘Every legislative proposal creating new burdens should relieve people and businesses of an equivalent existing burden at EU level in the same policy area.’

That may sound simple, but in the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) we are concerned that it makes no sense in practice. No policy area demonstrates that better than health and safety at work. What does ‘One In, One Out’ mean? That whenever a new piece of legislation to protect workers is introduced, an existing law will be dumped? How can that be reconciled with progress towards safer and healthier workplaces?

Already, back in July, we regretted that the work programme Ursula von der Leyen presented to the European Parliament, as incoming commission president, failed to include proposals on occupational safety and health. Trade unions were pleased to see the commissioner-designate for jobs, Nicolas Schmit, remedy that omission, when he assured MEPs at his hearing in the European Parliament that health and safety would be ‘an absolute priority’, including legislative measures.