The European Biosafety Network (EBN) was established in 2010 following the adoption of the European Directive on Preventing Sharps Injuries in Hospitals and Healthcare Settings (2010/32/EU) with a commitment to improve the safety of patients and healthcare and non-healthcare workers.

The Network continues to promote the effective practical and legislative implementation of the Sharps Directive in European countries and the development of an updated ISO standard 23908 on safety mechanisms in medical devices to prevent sharps injuries.

The EBN also campaigns for the prevention of occupational exposure to hazardous drugs, or hazardous medicinal products (HMPs), and is part of the Stop Cancer at Work campaign with representatives of EU unions, nurses, doctors, cancer patients and technicians.  This includes the effective implementation and transposition of new EU legislation, regulations and guidelines on the safe handling of HMPs into member states to protect healthcare workers from cancer, miscarriages and other health risks from exposure.

The Network has also campaigned for the reduction of medication errors for both patient and healthcare worker safety and to highlight the problem of second victims following a safety incident.

The Network is an inclusive organisation made up of its founder members, UNISON and the Spanish General Nursing Council, with support also from national and European professional institutions, representative associations, unions and other interested parties committed to biological, patient and occupational safety in healthcare throughout Europe.