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The Committee notes the Government's report which refers to the adoption on 30 December 1997 of Decree No. 3115 regulating the activity of private (profit-making and non-profit making) agencies, as well as the public placement and employment agencies. The Government states that, in addition to the offices of the National Apprenticeship Service, which exists to introduce job applicants to prospective employers, certain employers' associations and public and private colleges provide the same service. The Committee recalls the obligation under the terms of Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention to maintain or ensure the maintenance of a free public employment service consisting of a national system of employment offices. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would indicate the powers and mandate of the national authority responsible for administering a national system of employment offices. The Government is also asked to provide the practical information on this point requested in Part IV of the report form.

Article 3. Please provide information on the measures taken to revise the national network of employment offices in response to the new requirements resulting from the changes in the economy and working population.

Articles 4 and 5. In its previous report, the Government referred to a National Tripartite Commission responsible, among other things, for examining and proposing standards on mediation in the labour market. In its last report, the Government indicated that the Ministry of Labour had established employment committees at a departmental or municipal level. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would describe the manner in which employers' and workers' representatives are consulted in these committees with regard to the organization and operation of the employment service and the development of the employment service programme. Please also provide examples of specific arrangements made through the employment committees with regard to the development of the employment service programme.

[The Government is asked to report in detail in 2001.]