On 26 February 2019, NEPSI, the European Network for Silica, launched a Joint Declaration on a roadmap of actions for the future development of the Social Dialogue Agreement.

Over the next 5 years, NEPSI will support the implementation of the Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive (CMD) and will prepare for the evaluation of the BOEL (Binding Occupational Exposure Limit).

NEPSI and the NEPSI Good Practice Guide are recognised as valuable and necessary instruments to support the implementation of the CMD through Recital 19 of Directive 2017/2398. Specific actions will be launched on the extension of the scope, with special attention to SMEs and new workers. To this end, NEPSI requested a grant from the European Commission, which was awarded in the amount of €527,272. This project will run from February 2019 to January 2021.

A NEPSI Council (composed of 12 representatives nominated from industry, 15 employer representatives and 3 voluntary signatory) and a Technical Committee (composed of 20 participants with a balance between employers and employees) will respectively supervise and define the Roadmap. In addition, external work will be conducted by IRAS Utech, Leidar and Customised Mapping to develop new tools for NEPSI. Following the Roadmap’s kick-off meeting that took place on 26 February 2019, a joint declaration of NEPSI signatories is now available.

NEPSI Roadmap tentative calendar

NEPSI is the acronym for the European Network for Silica formed by the Employee and Employer European sectoral associations having signed the Social Dialogue "Agreement on Workers' Health Protection Through the Good Handling and Use of Crystalline Silica and Products Containing it" on 25 April 2006. Visit the website for more information.