From 15 to 17 October 2025 took place in Larnaka / Cyprus a seminar about the “European Pillar of Social Rights: Health and safety at work in the new digital era”, organized by KIKEA-DEOK (Cypriot Institute of Training/Education and Employment (KIKEA) - DEOK), with the support of EZA and funded by the European Union.
Important aspect(s) of the seminar
The seminar focused on how digital transformation impacts occupational health and safety across the EU. The event brought together leaders of trade unions and other workers’ organisation, policymakers, and experts from 15 European countries – Cyprus, Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, Spain, Belgium, Poland, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Serbia, France, Austria, Germany, Portugal, Lithuania, to discuss evolving risks, legal frameworks, and best practices in digital workplaces. Key themes include EU policy responses, lifelong learning, digital fatigue and the right to disconnect, labour inspection innovations, and employer-union cooperation. The seminar enhanced awareness, foster collaboration among social partners, and contribute to the EU-OSHA campaign promoting safe and healthy work in the digital age. Through presentations, discussions, and case studies, participants reflected on the role of social dialogue and developed strategies ensuring that technological progress supports, rather than undermines, workers’ well-being and right.
Significance of the seminar’s taking place at this period of time
The timing of this seminar is particularly significant, as Europe faces a decisive moment in shaping the future of work amid rapid digitalization and evolving labour market dynamics. The spread of artificial intelligence, platform work, and remote working models has transformed production processes and employment relations, creating new opportunities but also exposing workers to emerging psychosocial and ergonomic risks. At the same time, EU institutions are advancing critical policy initiatives — such as the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan, the Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work 2021–2027, and the Digital Decade targets — which emphasize the need for safe, inclusive, and sustainable digital transitions. Holding this seminar allows trade unions and social partners to contribute actively to these ongoing European debates, ensure that workers’ voices shape new regulatory frameworks, and strengthen collective capacity to safeguard health, dignity, and decent working conditions in the digital era.
Discussion topic fields
Health & Safety at Work in the Digital Age: EU Policies & Challenges
Skills development and lifelong learning for safe and healthy work in the digital era
Digital Fatigue, Surveillance & Right to Disconnect: A Union Perspective
Digital Work H&S: The situation in the EU member states and the role of trade unions
Labour Inspection in the Digital Era: Innovations, Tools & Prevention Strategies
Employers’ Perspective on Health & Safety in the Digital Workplace: Challenges and Cooperation Opportunities
Results
The European seminar was a meaningful step forward in the discussion about the future of work in Europe. Cooperation between governments, social partners, and institutions reaffirmed that occupational safety and health must evolve alongside digital innovation. The overarching challenge of the coming decade will be to combine technological progress with human dignity – a guiding principle that will continue to shape European social dialogue and workers’ protection policies.
The Cypriot Minister of Labour and Social Insurance emphasised that work remains a cornerstone of social cohesion and sustainable growth. He outlined national policies aimed at protecting incomes, promoting equality, and ensuring almost full employment.
Cyprus has adopted a modern telework framework, which includes provisions for cost coverage, data protection, and the right to disconnect.
European Commission representative presented the EU’s strategic framework, including the Digital Compass 2030, the European Declaration on Digital Rights, the AI Act, and the Directive on Platform Work. These initiatives aim to regulate emerging risks and ensure that technological innovation goes hand in hand with the protection of health, privacy, and dignity at work.
According to ETUC trade unions must play a proactive role in shaping digitalisation policies. Their priorities include: ensuring the right to disconnect, addressing psychosocial risks such as digital fatigue and isolation, and maintaining human oversight over Artificial Intelligence systems.
Human Resource Development Authority of Cyprus (HRDA) underlined the need for continuous skills upgrading in response to the fourth industrial revolution and green–digital transitions. It is estimated that 50% of workers will require reskilling by 2027.
The HRDA promotes a range of programmes – including the SafePass initiative, multi-company training in safety and technology, and individual learning accounts – to support workforce adaptability.
Three critical challenges were identified: digital fatigue, surveillance, and the right to disconnect. As explained by the Department of Labour of the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, Cyprus’ 2023 Telework Law formally enshrines workers’ right to disconnect and prohibits continuous monitoring. Examples from Romania and Serbia confirmed that, despite the limited spread of telework, collective bargaining remains key to ensuring a fair balance between flexibility and protection. The importance of mental health, ergonomics, and privacy safeguards was recognised as a shared European priority.
The Department of Labour Inspection of Cyprus presented the country’s digital transformation of labour inspection, highlighting new tools such as: OiRA, for online risk assessment, Tele-WOSH, for assessing telework conditions, and E-Gnosis, for digital training of inspectors. Cyprus’ National Strategy for Occupational Safety and Health (2021–2027) aligns with the EU framework, promoting zero-tolerance to accidents and a culture of prevention, education, and collaboration.
The Employers and Industrialists Federation (OEB) stressed that Artificial Intelligence can enhance productivity and safety, provided it respects transparency, data protection, and ethical use. The EU-OSHA 2023–2025 campaign “Safe and Healthy Work in the Digital Age” and the ILO Global Campaign on AI and Occupational Safety (2025) were identified as opportunities for future cooperation.
The seminar concluded that digitalisation is not only a technological shift but also a profound social transformation.
Ensuring a fair and humane transition requires coordinated action in five key areas:
Strengthening social dialogue and ensuring union participation in digital policy design.
Modernising legislation to address new risks, psychosocial factors, and privacy issues.
Investing in lifelong learning and digital–green skills development.
Building a culture of prevention, awareness, and shared responsibility at all levels.
Maintaining human control over technology, so that innovation serves wellbeing and fairness.