The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Ministry of Labor (Taiwan-OSHA) and the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) held the 5th EU–Taiwan Occupational Safety and Health Cooperation Meeting in Bilbao, Spain, on June 15. Sun-Han Hung, Taiwan's Minister of Labor, led a Taiwan-OSHA delegation to EU-OSHA headquarters and co-chaired the meeting with EU-OSHA Executive Director William Cockburn. The meeting marked a new milestone in practical EU–Taiwan cooperation.

The discussion centered on two challenges facing workplaces worldwide: the impact of climate change on occupational safety and health, and integrated frameworks for rehabilitation and return to work following occupational accidents and ill health. Through in-depth exchange, the two sides reached significant common ground on how to build safe and healthy working environments.

In his opening remarks, Minister Hung underscored the value of the partnership. "EU-OSHA is one of the Ministry of Labor's most important partners in the field of occupational safety and health," he said. "Taiwan has gained valuable policy insights from our dialogue and cooperation, and we look forward to continuing in-depth exchange and mutual learning as we address emerging risks such as climate change and digital transformation together." He noted that the four previous meetings had covered a wide range of topics—including protection for platform workers, digitalization, psychosocial risks in the workplace, and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease.

On climate change and workplace health, Taiwan-OSHA presented its regulations on preventing heat hazards in high-temperature outdoor work, along with targeted inspections, public-awareness efforts, and technology tools such as its mobile heat-hazard early-warning platform to help enterprises manage heat-related risks. EU-OSHA outlined the occupational risks arising from climate change, the industries, jobs, and vulnerable groups most exposed, and key preventive actions, and introduced its OiRA tool to help micro and small enterprises carry out risk assessments. Both sides agreed on the priority of identifying hazards, adopting control measures, building management systems, and working with social partners to foster a culture of prevention and strengthen workers' resilience to extreme weather.

On integrated return-to-work systems for workers affected by occupational injuries and diseases, EU-OSHA described the EU's labor-force and demographic challenges, work-related ill health and its risk factors, return-to-work risk assessment, and employers' legal responsibilities. Taiwan-OSHA shared its integrated service model linking occupational-accident reporting, case management, medical treatment and occupational rehabilitation, together with employers' reinstatement responsibilities, financial support to encourage return to work, and support for workers experiencing work-related stress and mental health difficulties. The two sides also discussed connecting information on injured and ill workers across insurance and medical systems, strengthening medical resources, legal-aid programs, and the recognition of work-related mental health conditions.

Taiwan-OSHA and EU-OSHA have mutually agreed to deepen their partnership through an extended cooperation framework. Both sides will maintain regular consultation mechanisms to exchange cutting-edge research and policy developments. Taiwan-OSHA noted that integrating these global benchmarks with local industrial needs will allow the agency to continuously strengthen Taiwan's occupational safety and health system and accident prevention measures. Both sides will work toward building safer, healthier, more resilient and sustainable working environments.