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With reference to its direct request of 1998, the Committee notes the detailed report sent by the Government.

1. Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. The Government states that a network of employment agencies has been set up in the form of employment information centres which come under the National Apprenticeship Service (SENA). The SENA has established strategic links with various chambers of commerce to open up offices, thus achieving significant extension of coverage. Furthermore, in several departments of the country Territorial Employment Councils have been established to deal with the problems of employment and low income affecting part of the population of Colombia. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would include information in its next report on the operation of existing employment offices - of both the SENA and the Territorial Employment Councils - to enable the Committee to ascertain the number of public employment offices established, the number of applications for employment received, the number of vacancies notified, and the number of persons placed in employment by such offices (Part IV of the report form).

2. Article 3. In view of the high level of unemployment (in 2000 urban unemployment reportedly affected 20 per cent of the economically active population), the Committee would be grateful if in its next report the Government would indicate the extent to which existing employment offices are able to meet the needs of employers and of workers.

3. Articles 4 and 5. Further to the comments it has been making for many years, the Committee notes with interest the establishment of Territorial Employment Councils as part of a participatory strategy for regional and local cooperation. The Committee would be grateful if in its next report the Government would include instances of consultations held within the Territorial Employment Councils with representatives of employers and workers concerning the organization and operation of the employment service.

4. The Committee notes an observation by the Foundation of Women of the Informal Sector (FUNDASIM), referring among other things to unemployment and the lack of any strategy or programmes to generate stable and lasting employment for workers in the informal sector. In August 2001 the Office sent the above observation to the Government. The Committee would be grateful if in its next report the Government would indicate how the public employment service carries out effectively the functions listed in Article 6 of the Convention in respect of workers in the informal sector.