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The Committee took note of the Government's report which covers the period ending September 1996 and contains statistics on employment and unemployment, the principles of employment policy and the measures implemented to promote employment and to combat unemployment. It observes, however, that the report provides only a partial response to the questions in the report form and invites the Government to supply, in its next report, complete information on the effect given to each of the provisions of the Convention with particular reference to the following points.

1. The Committee notes the statistical tables taken from the labour force survey. It would be grateful if the Government would also provide, in its next report, statistics showing more clearly the main developments in the labour force, employment and unemployment, for example in the form of indicators such as employment growth rates, and activity, employment and unemployment rates by sex, age and level of skills. Please also provide data on the duration of unemployment, the proportion of long-term unemployment within overall unemployment and the number of people becoming unemployed and those finding jobs. According to the information which is available to the Committee, in December 1995 the unemployment rate stood at 13.1 per cent (compared to 14.8 per cent in 1994). It was 11.9 per cent for men, 14.5 per cent for women and 22.6 per cent for young people under the age of 25. In addition, unemployment appeared to affect mostly unskilled workers and was characterized by significant regional discrepancies.

2. In this context, the Committee observes that the Government has set itself the medium-term aim of bringing unemployment down to below 10 per cent in 1998. It notes its statement to the effect that each of the macroeconomic policy measures is envisaged in terms of its effect on unemployment. In this respect, the Committee notes the indications relating to the policy of infrastructure investment and the development of the tax system which must enhance the competitiveness of enterprises, in particular for exports, and promote the establishment of small and medium-sized enterprises. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would also provide information on the employment objectives of the privatization policy. In addition, please specify the way in which the main objectives of the monetary and budgetary policies are decided and kept under review on the basis of their perceived or anticipated effect on employment, in accordance with Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention.

3. The Committee also notes the different programmes implemented in order to promote rural development, self-employment and the establishment of small and medium-sized enterprises. It invites the Government to provide information on the results which these programmes have achieved in terms of preserving or creating jobs. Similarly, the Committee hopes that the Government's next report will contain more detailed information on the nature and scope of the different active labour market policy measures to which it refers, such as retraining of jobseekers and employment or public works programmes for the unemployed. Please indicate the number of participants in these programmes together with any assessment available of their contribution to the integration of participants into employment. Please indicate whether specific measures have been adopted or are envisaged for the benefit of categories of people experiencing particular difficulties in obtaining or retaining jobs, such as, for example, the handicapped.

4. The Committee notes that the report does not contain any information on the effect given to Article 3 of the Convention. It emphasizes that the full application of this provision of the Convention is of particular importance in the context of structural labour market reform. The Committee hopes that the Government's next report will contain complete information on the way in which the required consultations are guaranteed during both the preparation and application of employment policy measures.