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1. Effective tripartite consultations. In reply to its 2005 observation, the Government indicates in its report received in October 2006 that the motional Group of Experts on the application of international labour standards of the ILO held a session on 19 May 2006. The session was attended by representatives of the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus, as well as by a representative of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (CDTU). The meeting also included representatives of the Ministries of Labour and Social Protection, Justice and Foreign Affairs, as well as of the Confederation of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs. The two items discussed at the meeting were the agenda of the 95th Session of the International Labour Conference and the preparation of reports on the application of ratified Conventions, that is, two of the five matters referred to in Article 5, paragraph 1, of the Convention.

2. The Committee recalls that, in its previous comments, it noted the report of the Commission of Inquiry appointed under article 26 of the ILO Constitution to examine the situation of trade union rights in Belarus. The Committee expressed the hope that the important measures that the Government was called upon to adopt in order to respond to the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry would also ensure the effective application of Convention No. 144. In particular, the Committee recalls that the Commission of Inquiry recommended that the CDTU should be allowed to participate through whichever representative it designates in the work of the National Council on Labour and Social Issues.

3. The Committee requests the Government to report on the progress made in the application of Articles 1, 2 and 5 of the Convention to ensure the free choice of workers’ representatives in tripartite consultations on international labour standards. In particular, it requests the Government to report in detail on the measures taken to implement effective tripartite consultation on all the matters relating to international labour standards covered by the Convention and to clarify the manner in which the meetings of the National Council on Labour and Social Issues contribute to the holding of tripartite consultations within the meaning of the Convention.