[{"bbox": [97, 152, 1135, 207], "category": "Text", "text": "hazardous conditions, and about 200 million workers (more than 22% of the entire Chinese workforce) are directly exposed to dust, chemicals, and poison."}, {"bbox": [97, 218, 1135, 326], "category": "Text", "text": "At the same time, underreporting is common. Figures significantly underestimate occupational health risks due to the low frequency of checks / verification and reporting, as well as the small number of occupational diseases in the government list. Chinese authorities lack a sound methodology to collect and analyse data. Safety and security policies as well as implementing tools are still weak."}, {"bbox": [97, 337, 1135, 498], "category": "Text", "text": "The EU promotes decent work through a comprehensive approach that addresses workers in domestic markets, in third countries and in global supply chains, in line with the Communication on Decent Work Worldwide (2022)⁶. The EU's commitment to champion decent work involves reinforcing actions guided by the universal concept of decent work as developed by the ILO and reflected in the UN Sustainable Development Goals, including standards and rights at work and social protection. Gender equality and non-discrimination are cross-cutting issues in these objectives."}, {"bbox": [97, 508, 1135, 693], "category": "Text", "text": "At the 110th session in June 2022, the International Labour Conference decided to include \"a safe and healthy working environment\" in the framework of fundamental principles of the ILO. The EU is a leading global actor in this area and promotes the adherence to the related international norms by supporting the alignment of other countries worldwide to these norms. Healthy and safe work environments also reduce costs for people, businesses and society as a whole. That is why maintaining and improving protection standards for workers both within the EU and globally remain a priority for an economy that works for the people and that offers equal opportunities for businesses on the market."}, {"bbox": [97, 705, 1135, 788], "category": "Text", "text": "Therefore, this Action responds to global EU interests in support of the fundamental principles of the ILO and strategic interests to promote higher working and safety standards in China which can contribute to improving a level playing field for EU businesses in China and competing with Chinese businesses in third countries."}, {"bbox": [97, 799, 1135, 960], "category": "Text", "text": "In addition, and given the many supply chains and other industrial relations China has not only with the EU but also with other third countries in the world, improving standards in OSH will contribute to global health including pandemics. For example, during the corona pandemic it became apparent that OSH plays an important role in protecting workers constituting about 50% of the EU population⁷. Collecting and analysing OSH data is important for better policy making during pandemics, e.g. by identifying the infection risks at different workplace providing policy information on which measures should be taken."}, {"bbox": [97, 970, 1135, 1105], "category": "Text", "text": "OSH also contributes to improving environmental protection by reducing the use of carcinogenic and other hazardous substances at the workplace, as well as spillover impacts on the environment surrounding workplaces. Improved OSH, such as reducing carcinogens at the workplace, has also the potential to improve the impact of products on the health of the wider population outside workplaces and therefore may contribute to consumer protection."}, {"bbox": [97, 1130, 283, 1155], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## Main stakeholders"}, {"bbox": [97, 1158, 1135, 1264], "category": "Text", "text": "This Action will engage with key Chinese stakeholders in OSH, such as the Ministry of Emergency Management (MoEM), the National Health Commission (NHC), and other relevant ministries, subordinated Chinese government institutes, as well as Chinese companies in the priority economic sectors for this Action (such as the green economy, automotive, chemicals, construction and mining industries)."}, {"bbox": [97, 1289, 1135, 1370], "category": "Text", "text": "If necessary and appropriate, information of other relevant EU organisations will be consulted including Eurostat and the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA), which regularly publish studies on OSH as well as monitor, collate and analyse statistical information on OSH risks in workplaces across the EU."}, {"bbox": [85, 1549, 1143, 1599], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁶ Communication COM/2022/66 final on decent work worldwide for a global just transition and a sustainable recovery, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=COM%3A2022%3A66%3AFIN"}, {"bbox": [85, 1598, 1143, 1647], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁷ See e.g. https://oshwiki.osha.europa.eu/en/themes/covid-19-back-workplace-adapting-workplaces-and-protecting-workers. The percentage of the working population in the total population is higher in development countries."}, {"bbox": [1038, 1682, 1144, 1706], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 5 of 17"}]