President of the European Parliament Mr Pat Cox will launch a major campaign to combat work-related stress today in Strasbourg.
The initiative is the first EU-wide campaign to tackle the problem, which is regarded as the second biggest occupational health hazard in the EU.
Work-related stress is estimated to affect over 40 million employees throughout the EU and is thought to be responsible for approximately 50 per cent of work absenteeism.
According to a number of major studies, the problem affects nearly 28 per cent of workers in the EU, with women reporting the highest levels of stress.
Monotony, tight deadlines and bullying are understood to be major contributory factors.
Mr Tom Beegan, Director General of the Health and Safety Authority, which is organising the campaign in Ireland, said a key objective of the campaign is to develop effective policy to tackle the issue.
Estimates suggest that 16 per cent of men and 22 per cent of women affected by stress develop cardiovascular diseases, and according to Mr Beegan it is now time to face up to the problem.
"In the last few years stress has become a much talked about entity and it is not something any of us want to experience in our daily lives," he said.
The campaign, which is being backed by all EU member states, the European Commission and Parliament, trade unions and employers federations, will run until October and end with a "European Week for Safety and Health at Work" from October 14th.