EU keeps sun out of 'tan ban' directive

MEPs have approved the “sunshine directive” after national governments agreed to remove sunlight from legislation protecting workers from optical radiation.

The controversial directive designed to protect workers from exposure from optical radiation will now come into force within four years – but will only apply to manmade sources and not natural exposure.

“The often heard name sunshine directive is thus now completely inappropriate,” the parliament said in a statement.

After a stormy conciliation process MEPs voted 570 votes in favour, 16 against with 49 abstentions on Tuesday.

The legislation has a troubled history and exposed deep divisions over the degree of employer responsibility when it thundered through parliament at second reading last year.

In September, employers hailed victory when MEPs voted to overturn EU 'tan bans and European business groups greeted last year’s vote as a "victory for common sense."

“Imposing EU-level obligations to regulate exposure to sunlight would be unrealistic, unnecessary and would further damage the credibility of EU legislation," said UEAPME Secretary General Hans-Werner Müller.

After its parliamentary second reading, national governments rejected amendments to exclude sunlight from the rules.

The directive was then forced into a three way, MEP, commission and member state compromise.

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