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1. Information on labour inspection and the evaluation and improvement of its functioning. The Committee notes with satisfaction the detailed and full report provided by the Government and the annual report on labour inspection for 2003, which includes an evaluation of the effectiveness of the labour inspection system as information on the difficulties encountered. The Committee notes with interest the further information provided on the implementation of ILO project BUL/98/Mo3/FRG on integrated labour inspection, with the participation of the social partners, the occupational safety and health in construction BUL0020 (FEU+7-programme) project, in which Denmark is participating, and project BG 2003/004 937.05.01, which is part of the PHARE 2003 programme, on meeting the pre-accession commitments of Bulgaria in the field of occupational safety and health.

2. Cooperation and collaboration in the field of labour inspection (Article 5 of the Convention). The Committee welcomes the indication that cooperation has increased between the labour inspectorate and various public sector authorities, such as the Agency for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and the State Agency for Child Protection (a). Furthermore, it notes the cooperation agreement concluded at the national level with the representative organizations of employers and workers with a view to conducting joint inspections at the enterprise level, intensifying the activities of tripartite bodies at the regional level and organizing joint consultations for the development of annual national programmes of action that the "General Labour Inspectorate" Executive Agency (EAGLI) will carry out at the national level, in addition to other cooperation activities (b).

3. The provision of adequate human and financial resources to ensure progressively the effective discharge of inspection. The Committee notes with interest the steadily increasing number of inspections (up to 32,271 in 2003), the increase in labour inspection staff (about 80 newly appointed inspectors), in the necessary financial and material resources and the activities undertaken to improve their skills. The Committee also notes the significant decrease in the number of industrial accidents and cases of occupational diseases. The Committee further observes that inspections are focussed on the control of SMEs (49.8 per cent), information campaigns have been launched at the national level in the construction, manufacturing and employment sectors, and that local campaigns are being undertaken with a view to the elimination of asbestos, and the use of a broad media policy.

The Committee is addressing a request directly to the Government on certain points.