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1. Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. The Committee notes the information contained in the Government’s reports for the period ending May 2003. The Government indicates that GDP growth has remained at approximately 4 per cent since 1997. In 2002, due to factors including the global economic downturn, GDP growth slowed down to an estimated 3.3 per cent. Employment continued to shift from the production sector to the services sector. In 2000, the employment share by broad economic sector for Hungary was 6.5 per cent in agriculture, 33.7 per cent in industry and 59.8 per cent in services. The unemployment rate decreased to 7 per cent for males and 5.6 per cent for females. The youth unemployment rate also dropped to 12.1 per cent. The declining trend in the number of economically active persons has stabilized and the activity rate is gradually picking up again. The Committee asks the Government to continue to provide information on the impact of restructuring of employment and the reinsertion of displaced workers.

2. The Committee notes the Government’s adoption of a medium-term set of measures for the improvement of Roma living standards. The Government estimates that the unemployment rate of the Roma minority remains at around three to five times that of the non-Roma population. The new set of measures include programmes, training and employment benefits with the objective of reducing unemployment, remedying the marginalized social situation and reducing labour market disadvantages of the Roma. The Committee would appreciate receiving further information on the make-up of these benefits and programmes as well as any assessment on their impact on employment promotion for the Roma communities.

3. The Government indicates in its report received in October 2003 that employment creation is one of its main tasks. In this connection, Hungary has joined the objective of the European Union of raising the employment rate to 70 per cent by 2010. Achieving this objective will require the creation of 1 million additional jobs (a 14 per cent increase) in the long term and the creation of about 300,000-400,000 new jobs in the medium term. The Government indicates that it intends to achieve these targets by increasing flexibility in the labour market and promoting an employment-friendly environment. The Government notes this target and hopes that the Government will be able to report on progress to achieve this objective in its future reports.

4. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes that the report does not contain any further information on the fragmentation of the administrative responsibilities in the field of employment between different ministries (Ministry of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Social and Family Affairs, Ministry of Education). It therefore repeats its request to be kept informed of the coordination achieved between the different ministries concerned when deciding and reviewing the measures to be adopted for attaining the objectives of an active employment policy, in consultation with representatives of employers’ and workers’ organizations and other sectors concerned, as required by the Convention. The Committee also notes that the Government report does not contain any evaluation of the outcome of its employment policies and programmes. Please supply information on the measures taken to keep employment promotion policies and programmes under review within the framework of a coordinated economic and social policy.

5. Article 3. In its report received in November 2002 the Government makes reference to the statement of the workers’ spokesperson made at the tripartite National ILO Council concerning the lack of legal definition for the category of self-employed. In its reply the Government spokesperson promised to examine the statement in the National Interest-Reconciliation Council. The Committee requests that the Government continue to provide information on the tripartite consultations and manner in which representatives of workers, employers and other groups are consulted on the formulation, implementation and evaluation of employment policies and programmes.