Through a comparison of the French and German recognition regulations for musculo-skeletal occupational diseases, aspects will be worked out which are of importance for the simplification of the recognition procedure. The current article is based on publications of the French national health insurer, the European "EUROGIP" network and expert interviews conducted in France with the national health insurer, a scientist and a trade unionist. In France, the recognition of an occupational disease of the lower back presupposes the presence of a prolapse of the discus intervertrebalis with radicularpain. The number of recognised cases of diseases of the lumber region of the vertebral column is higher in France than in Germany. The number of recognised cases of diseases of the upper extremities as occupational diseases is also many times higher than the German quota. Recognition is assessed on the basis of the different criteria of the French directory of occupational diseases. The following factors can be held responsible for the higher recognition rate (in relation to the number of reported cases): the more detailed definition of the work-related presuppositions; the assumption of a causative relationship if both the work-related presuppositions and the characteristics of the incured disease are existing and the neglect of concurrent diseases. A more specific regulation of the German system of occupational diseases would speed up the recognition procedure. By simplifying and emending the criteria, the numbers of applications would be reduced while at the same time recognition figures would be enhanced. This could increase the general acceptance of the German system of accident insurance.