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The Committee notes with interest the information provided by the Government. It notes in particular the statistical information supplied by the Government on the manner in which the Convention is applied in practice and the number of employees paid at the minimum wage rate. Furthermore, the Committee notes that under Government Order No. 1037 of 18 October 2001, amending Government Order No. 1116 of 28 November 2000 establishing the level of the gross minimum wage, the latter is currently fixed at 1,750,000 lei for 170 hours of work a month. This information is of particular importance as it indicates to the Committee the manner in which effect is given to the obligations deriving from the Convention and the Committee requests the Government to continue providing full information in future on supervisory measures, difficulties of application and changes in minimum wage rates in relation to the application of the Convention in practice.

Article 4, paragraphs 2 and 3, of the Convention. The Committee notes the adoption of Government Order No. 939 of 29 August 2002 respecting the establishment, organization and operation of the National Indexing Commission, which repealed Government Order No. 843 of 20 December 1991 respecting the establishment, organization and operation of the same Commission. Furthermore, the Committee notes the terms of Government Order No. 314 of 15 March 2001, as amended by Government Order No. 569 of 5 June 2002, in regard to the establishment, organization and operation of social dialogue commissions. Recalling that under the terms of Act No. 109 of 2 July 1997, as amended by Act No. 492 of 1 October 2001, the functions of the Economic and Social Council include issuing opinions on draft legislation, orders and government ordinances, making proposals with regard to wage policy and drawing the attention of the Government to the emergence of economic and social conditions requiring the adoption of new legislation, the Committee requests the Government to indicate the respective competences of the tripartite advisory institutions and bodies referred to above in relation to the fixing and adjustment of minimum wages.

Article 5. Noting that the objective of ensuring compliance with the gross minimum wage at the national level was raised to the rank of a priority measure in the programme of action of the labour inspectorate for 2002, the Committee requests the Government to keep it informed of the progress of the bill to increase the fines currently applicable with a view to improving compliance with the minimum wage legislation.