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1. The Committee notes the Government’s report, received in October 2003. In reply to its previous comments, the Government indicates that it does not currently have statistics on the application of the Convention and that it does not know of the existence of any studies on the subject. The Committee requests the Government to give a general appreciation in its next report of the manner in which the Convention is applied in practice (Part V of the report form).

2. Leave for trade union education. The Committee notes that the report was discussed by the tripartite Working Group of the Council of Economic and Social Agreements for Cooperation with the ILO and that the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions (CMKOS) has made comments on the application of the Convention. According to the CMKOS, the granting of paid educational leave for the purpose of trade union education is not ensured; although it is possible to obtain such leave under Decree No. 172/1973, the result of such applications is variable. Recalling that Article 2(c) of the Convention sets forth the obligation to "formulate and apply a policy designed to promote, by methods appropriate to national conditions and practice and by stages as necessary, the granting of paid educational leave for the purpose of (...) trade union education", the Committee requests the Government to indicate the manner in which the existence of a form of leave for trade union education is secured.

3. The CMKOS also emphasizes the absence of legislation respecting the financing of leave for trade union education. The Committee requests the Government to indicate how the arrangements for leave for trade union education are financed.