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The Committee notes the information supplied by the Government in its report. It notes, in particular, the adoption of the Act on an active labour market policy on 30 June 1993 which is described in the report as an element of the Government's general labour market reform. The Government indicates that under the provisions of the new Act the public employment service will be able to offer more flexible and individual offers and activities to the unemployed. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would supply a copy of this Act with its next report.

Article 1 of the Convention. The Committee notes from the Government's reply to its previous comments that under the Act on the public employment service and the unemployment insurance system, as amended by Act No. 840 of 20 December 1989, the public employment service may charge users for special services offered to enterprises and institutions. The Government indicates that there is a difference between the regions in the extent to which user payments have been introduced, but that most of the regions are offering special services of jobseeking activities and assistance to enterprises which plan large-scale dismissals. The Government also indicates that many of the regions offer planning of training activities and staff selection, and that other regions have introduced services such as staff selection in connection with recruitment of managers and specialists, or individual job counselling and planning of training to employees which have to be dismissed.

The Committee noted in its previous direct request that, under the above-mentioned Act, the Minister of Labour was authorized to introduce rules on user-payments for some special services rendered to the employers by the public employment service in connection with their education/training and staff planning activities, whereas the ordinary services of the public employment service continue to be free. The Committee requests the Government to supply the text of the above-mentioned rules as soon as they are adopted and to continue to supply detailed information on the new situation regarding the public employment service in order to enable the Committee to assess whether the Convention which provides that the public employment service shall be free of charge (Article 1), in particular, with regard to its functions laid down in Article 6, is being implemented.