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1. Effective tripartite consultations. The Committee takes note of the information contained in the Government’s report received in October 2006, and the detailed comments and supplementary information provided thereon by the Turkish Confederation of Employer Association (TİSK), and the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (TÜRK-İŞ). The Committee notes the activities undertaken further to the development and review of Turkey’s labour legislation. In this regard, the Committee recalls the establishment of a Tripartite Consultative Committee, which seeks to “ensure effective consultations between the Government, employers, public employees and confederation of trade unions in developing labour peace and industrial relations”. The Committee notes with interest the decisions taken by the Tripartite Consultative Committee with respect to contributing to the development of national legislation giving effect to international labour standards. The Committee requests that it continues to be kept informed of the outcomes of consultations in this, and other tripartite bodies, on such matters stipulated under Article 5 of the Convention.

2. The Committee observes the concern expressed by TİSK whereby it finds that there are no initiatives to include social partners in the negotiations with the European Union on matters related to working life, in particular on “Social Policy and Employment”, during, what it considers to be, one of the most intensive phases in the integration process triggered by Turkey’s membership negotiations with the European Union. TİSK considers that social partners should be able to participate directly through a mechanism that would allow their views to contribute to, and be reflected in, the preparation of the strategies and the commitments in relation to this process. In this regard, the Committee recalls that the 90th Session of the International Labour Conference (June 2002) adopted a resolution concerning tripartism and social dialogue which provides that these methods have proven to be valuable and democratic means to address social concerns, build consensus, help elaborate international labour standards and examine a wide range of labour issues on which social partners play a direct, legitimate and irreplaceable role. The Committee thus invites the Government and social partners to promote and reinforce tripartism and social dialogue, with a view to ensuring adequate consideration has been given to the social concerns of all stakeholders, under the procedures covered by the Convention.