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Article 2, paragraph 1, of the Convention. In reply to the Committee’s 1998 direct request, the Government reports that 15 regional employment councils have been established as tripartite advisory and cooperation bodies in all counties of Estonia. The National Employment Council (established in 2003) acts as a tripartite advisory body and coordinator of the activities of the regional employment councils. Comprehensive training of the members of the regional employment councils was organized in the framework of the implementation of the PHARE-Twining project on social dialogue (2002-04). The Committee welcomes this progress and looks forward to the Government’s report on the application of the Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122), and on the involvement of the social partners in the operation of the system of free public employment agencies.

Article 3. The Committee also notes with interest that the 2000 Social Protection of the Unemployed Act and the 2001 Unemployment Insurance Act regulate conditions and procedure for the payment and grant of benefits upon unemployment. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would include in its next report information on any arrangements concerning the equality of treatment of national and foreign workers as regards unemployment insurance and the other information requested by the report form in accordance with this Article.