Agency has funds for SMEs to reduce risks

An European Agency For Safety And Health At Work product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Mar 19, 2002

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work is organising a second SME funding scheme focused on reducing safety and health risks in Europe's SMEs.

Europe's small and medium-sized enterprises are key drivers of economic growth and job creation.

They employ more than 65% of the EU's workforce and account for over 99% of the EU's 18 million enterprises, outside the agricultural sector.

However, due to a lack of financial and organisational resources, many SMEs have only limited occupational health and safety knowledge and capacity.

That is why the Bilbao-based European Agency for Safety and Health at Work is organising a second SME funding scheme focused on reducing safety and health risks in Europe's SMEs.

Details of the new funding scheme will be published by the end of March in the Official Journal of the European Communities and on the Agency's website.

The EUR 4 million budget for the new scheme was decided by the European Parliament at the end of last year.

On a proposal of the European Commission, the scheme was included in the Agency's work programme for 2002 by the Administrative Board at a recent meeting in Bilbao.

Agency Director, Hans-Horst Konkolewsky, commented: "In 2001, the Agency was able to support over 50 innovative projects targeting accident prevention in SMEs.

In this year's scheme we are broadening our scope to cover a wider range of safety and health risks, including the prevention of work-related stress.

As last year, we are looking forward to support projects that will contribute to making workplaces in European SMEs safer and healthier".

The Agency's funding will provide about 40 grants for transnational and national projects, which promote the development and exchange of effective good practices that reduce safety and health risks in SMEs through training, information and communication or through the provision of good practices.

Not what you're looking for? Search the site.

Back to top Back to top

Google Ads

 

Contact European Agency For Safety And Health At Work

Related Stories

Contact European Agency For Safety And Health At Work

 

Newsletter sign up

Request your free weekly copy of the Engineeringtalk email newsletter ...

Articles by product category

All suppliers A - Z

A Pro-talk Publication

A Pro-talk publication