The final version of the EU Sharps Directive was published today (1 June 2010) in the Official Journal of the European Union. The Directive gives legal effect to a framework agreement concluded by the European Hospital and Healthcare Employers’ Association (HOSPEEM) and the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) through the social dialogue process.

Now that the Directive has been published it will come into legal force on 21 June 2010 and must be implemented within Member States at the latest by 11 May 2013.