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The Committee notes that the Government's report has not been received. It notes, however, with interest that the Act against Ethnic Discrimination (referred to in its previous observation), prohibiting discrimination against job applicants and workers on the basis of race, colour, national or ethnic origin or confession has been adopted and entered into force on 1 July 1994.

The Committee repeats the remaining points in its previous observation which read as follows:

1. The Committee notes the information supplied by the Government on the Equal Opportunities Act, No. 443, which entered into force on 1 January 1992 and repealed the 1979 legislation of this subject, as well as the consequent amendments to the Ordinances containing the instructions for the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman and the Equal Opportunities Commission. Noting that, to date, no collective agreements have been negotiated under the new Act, nor court cases decided in application of its provisions, the Committee requests the Government to supply, in its next report, information on its application in practice, in particular concerning the enforcement activities of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman and the Equal Opportunities Commission and on any annual plans for the promotion of equal opportunities between men and women at work. It would also appreciate receiving copies of any collective agreements containing provisions on the elimination of sex discrimination in employment negotiated in accordance with the new Act. 2. Article 4 of the Convention. The Committee notes that, according to the Government, the report and proposals of the Parliamentary Committee (SAPO-Kommittén) on the screening of personnel - copies of which have been requested since 1992 following expressions of concern from the Swedish ILO Committee over their content - are still under consideration in the relevant Ministry, now the Ministry of Justice. The Committee asks the Government to supply information on the outcome of this consideration. 3. The Committee is addressing a direct request to the Government on certain other points.

The Committee hopes that the Government will make every effort to take the necessary action in the very near future.