Given that the Dutch Presidency of the Council of the EU has identified improving occupational health and safety as one of their working priorities, we met with the leading team of the Presidency to discuss the revision of the Directive on carcinogens or mutagens at work, which is scheduled for May. During our meeting we highlighted that some risk factors, such as exposure to second hand smoke, bad indoor air quality and other chemicals in our daily life, are common to cancers and respiratory diseases. EFA will voice the allergy and respiratory patients’ perspective throughout the revision of this legislation to ensure their needs are taken into account. The Dutch Presidency is organising a conference on banning work-related cancers on the 23rd-25th of May in Amsterdam.