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The Committee notes the Government's report on the application of the Convention for the period ending June 1994. It notes with interest that the Constitution guarantees the right to work and that the Act of 27 June 1991 on the employment of the population establishes the objective of employment policy as implementing the right of citizens to full, productive and freely chosen employment. It also notes that, under the terms of the Act, activities in the field of employment have to be coordinated with those relating to other aspects of economic and social policy, such as social security, growth, the redistribution of income and the containment of inflation. In order to make it easier to evaluate the effect given to the Convention in practice, the Committee would be grateful if the Government would supply further information in its next report on the effect given to each of the provisions of the Convention, in reply to the questions in the report form and with reference to the following points.

1. The Committee notes the Government's indication that, according to the data collected by the regional employment services, persons without employment account for around 18 per cent of the workforce, although only one-quarter of such persons are recognized as being unemployed. It also notes the information concerning the sectoral and regional distribution of employment. The Committee requests the Government to continue supplying statistical data that are as detailed as possible on the situation and trends of the active population and of employment, underemployment and unemployment throughout the country and in the various regions, by sector, sex, age and skills level. Please indicate the measures that have been taken or are envisaged to collect and analyse the data concerning the nature and trends of the labour market which are necessary for the pursual of the employment policy.

2. The Committee notes the Government's concern at the obsolescence of many jobs and the regional and sectoral imbalances in the employment situation, which are maintained, among other factors, by the insufficient level of rural development. It notes with interest that the Government considers that the process of economic reform has to be assessed in view of its impact on employment. In this respect, the Committee would be grateful if the Government would indicate how the object of full, productive and freely chosen employment is taken into account in the adoption and implementation of measures to achieve the transition to a market economy. In particular, please supply information on the measures taken in such fields as investment policy; budgetary and monetary policies; and prices, incomes and wages policies. Please indicate the measures that have been taken or are envisaged to promote a more evenly balanced regional development.

3. The Committee notes the provisions of the Act of 1991 respecting the establishment of an employment fund and the organization of employment services. It also notes the emphasis placed by the Government on the need to take measures to coordinate training with the changing needs of the labour market. The Committee requests the Government to supply detailed information in its next report on the use of the employment fund, as well as on the measures taken to adapt the workforce to structural changes and, more generally, to coordinate education and training policies with prospective employment opportunities. In this respect, the Government could consider the provisions of the Human Resources Development Convention (No. 142) and Recommendation (No. 150), 1975. With regard to employment services, the Committee notes with interest that Azerbaijan has ratified Convention No. 88 and that the first report by the Government on the application of that Convention has just been received by the Office; the Committee will examine the report at its next session.

4. The Committee notes that the Act of 1991 on the employment of the population provides in section 19 for the establishment of national and local committees to coordinate the promotion of employment and that representatives of trade unions and of associations of entrepreneurs participate in these bodies. However, it notes that, although section 20 of the above Act establishes the right of trade unions to participate in the development of employment policy and to take the initiative of holding consultations with employers with a view to the conclusion of agreements in this field, a similar right is not explicitly established for employers' organizations. The Committee recalls in this respect that under the terms of Article 3 of the Convention, the representatives of the persons concerned, and in particular representatives of employers and workers, have to be consulted as to employment policies, "with a view to taking fully into account their experience and views and securing their full cooperation in formulating and enlisting support for such policies". Furthermore, in view of their importance in the active population, it would also seem appropriate to associate workers in the rural sector and those in the informal sector in such consultations. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would describe in its next report the practical procedures for consulting the representatives of all the persons affected.