EU: Preventing sharps injuries in hospitals and healthcare

In July 2009, European-level trade union and employers' organisations in the hospitals and healthcare sector signed an agreement on preventing injuries caused by "medical sharps", which will now be given legal force by an EU Directive.

The European Commission, based on arts.138 and 139 of the Treaty establishing the European Community (TEC), consulted European-level trade union and employers' organisations during 2006 about possible EU action on protecting healthcare workers from blood-borne infections due to needlestick injuries.