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1. The Committee notes the mechanisms established by the Government with a view to implementing its general immigration policy: the creation on 11 May 2000 of the Government Office for Foreign Nationals and Immigration within the Ministry of the Interior, as the body responsible for formulating government policy on affairs relating to foreign nationals and immigration; the establishment on 4 April 2001 of the Higher Council on Immigration Policy, a collegiate body responsible for ensuring coordination and cooperation between the national authorities, the autonomous regions and local authorities; the adaptation as of 4 April 2001 of the Permanent Observatory on Immigration, which analyses and surveys migration trends in Spain and disseminates relevant information; and the restructuring, also in April 2001, of the Forum for the Social Integration of Immigrants, a tripartite government consultative, information and advisory body dealing with all matters of immigration policy. The Committee also notes the agreement of April 2001 approving the General Regulatory and Coordination Programme for affairs relating to foreign nationals and immigration.

2. The Committee understands from the Government’s report that there has been no reoccurrence of the acts of violence perpetrated in 2000 in El Ejido. It nevertheless requests the Government to provide information on the activities of all the abovementioned bodies and on any measures adopted to combat effectively the exploitation of migrant workers, racism and xenophobia.

3. The Committee is also addressing a request directly to the Government.