Određena tijela u Europskoj uniji nastoje odrediti povezanost bolesti COVID-19 s radnim mjestom i/ili određenom gospodarskom djelatnošću. Veoma složeno (interdisciplinarno) pitanje i odnos je priznavanje (s aspekta zaštite zdravlja i sigurnosti na radu) COVID -19 profesionalnog podrijetla, kao: same profesionalne bolesti, samo ozljede na radu, ozljede na radu ili profesionalne bolesti (prema nacionalnim kriterijima pojedinih država) te bez točne (preciznije) odrednice radi li se o profesionalnoj bolesti ili ozljedi na radu, bez obzira što je „profesionalnog podrijetla“. Stavovi i rješenja u pojedinim državama članicama EU-a različita su. Pored zdravstvenih, i drugi radnici (u različitim djelatnostima) izloženi su riziku od zaraze SARS CoV-2 virusom i obolijevanju od COVID-19 bolesti (više ili manje rizične kategorije). U pitanju je profesionalni rad i visokorizične profesije prema epidemiološkim, kliničkim, anamnestičkim i posrednim dokazima. Bitna je profesionalna izloženost navedenom riziku. Dokazi moraju biti nedvojbeni i specifičniji od onih koji „dokumentiraju“ ozljedu na radu ili drugu bolest u vezi s radom (klinička manifestacija bolesti, laboratorijski, higijenski i drugi pregledi, ozbiljne komplikacije, specifični simptomi, trajanje simptoma, intenzitet i drugi dijagnostički postupci). Postupak je složen (po subjektima, radnicima i rokovima), a propisan je heterogenim normama države. Snagom svojeg organiziranja i postupanja, a u skladu s evidentnom situacijom u pandemiji bolesti COVID-19 odnosno SARS CoV-2 virusom, EU treba utvrditi jedinstvene („zajedničke“) kriterije za priznavanje COVID-19 bolesti profesionalnom bolešću. To je ujedno i sadržaj ovog rada. Designated bodies in the European Union are working to establish the connection between COVID-19 disease and the workplace and/or specific branch of economy. It is a complex interdisciplinary matter (from the aspect of health protection and safety at work) involving recognition of COVID-19 as originating at work, in addition to the issues as to whether it is an occupational disease or injury at work, according to the national criteria implemented in individual countries. Furthermore, it needs to be established whether the disease is an occupational disease or an injury at work, irrespective of its origin at work. How different EU countries regard these issues varies from country to country. Both health care workers and workers in other branches of economy are exposed to the risk of contracting SARS CoV-2 virus and developing COVID-19 disease, depending on the category of risk. Of interest here is the professional work and high-risk professions, given the epidemiologic, clinical, medical history and indirect evidence. What is of essence is the exposure to the risk at work. Evidence must be non-ambivalent and far more specific than that proving injury at work or disease related to work (clinical manifestation, lab results, hygiene and other tests, serious complications, specific symptoms, duration of symptoms, their intensity, and other diagnostic procedures). The procedures are complex, for they involve businesses, workers and deadlines, all prescribed by the heterogeneous norms of each state. To enforce definitive standard guidelines, given the current COVID-19 pandemic situation, the EU needs to bring forth a set of uniform common criteria for recognizing COVID-19 as an occupational disease. These criteria are the focus of this paper.