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The Committee notes the Government’s first report on the application of the Convention and highlights the quality of the information provided.

Article 4 of the Convention. Organization and operation of a labour administration system. The Committee notes that, according to the Government, labour administration activities are carried out by three ministries: the Ministry of Labour, Civil Service and State Reform, the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training and the Ministry of Social Development, Solidarity and Elderly People. On 3 March 2005, the three Ministers responsible for labour, employment and social security signed a framework document on the collaboration between the central services of the labour administration. However, the tasks assigned to this body were limited to resolving to a number of occasional problems and the framework of collaboration has not produced the anticipated results. The Committee also notes the proposals to improve the labour administration system formulated by the ILO in the context of the project to modernize the labour administration and labour inspectorate. The Committee requests the Government to indicate any measures taken or envisaged to ensure that the labour administration system is organized and operates effectively and that its tasks and responsibilities are coordinated properly in accordance with Article 4 of the Convention.

Article 5. Consultation, cooperation and negotiation with organizations of employers and workers. The Committee notes the information provided concerning the consultation and negotiation bodies. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the activities carried out by the consultation and negotiation bodies during the period covered by the next report.

Article 6(2)(c) and (d). Responsibilities of the labour administration system. Please indicate whether there are bodies within the labour administration system which are responsible for making their services available to organizations of employers and workers with a view to promoting effective consultation and cooperation between the authorities and these organizations and for making technical advice available to these organizations at their request.

Article 7. Gradual extension of the functions of the labour administration system. The Committee notes that, according to the Government’s report, the labour administration system does not cover workers who, in law, are not employed, such as self-employed workers and members of cooperatives. However, in the context of the activities carried out by the National Directorate of Social Protection and Solidarity Economy relating to the development of the national policy on social security and the promotion of cooperatives, mutual societies and other groups, the decentralized services are drawing up regional plans and programmes for the development of these bodies. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide further information on these plans and programmes and their impact in practice.

Article 9.  Supervision of parastatal agencies responsible for particular labour administration activities. The Committee notes that the means available to the Ministry of Labour to monitor the activities of parastatal agencies and their adherence to the objectives assigned to them amounts to its participation in the governing bodies of these agencies (the National Employment Agency (ANPE) and the National Social Security Institute (INPS)). The Committee requests the Government to provide the reports or extracts from the reports published by these agencies concerning their activities and to indicate the objectives achieved.

Article 10. Material means and financial resources of the labour administration. The Committee notes that, according to the Government, the lack of means is a major obstacle to the application of the Convention. It also notes the information provided concerning the three-year action plan to strengthen the labour administration covering the period 2005–07, which has been extended to 2010. According to the Government, despite the improvements made under this action plan in terms of improving the quality of the services offered by the National Labour Directorate and its decentralized services (labour inspectorates), major efforts are still required overall in view of the nature and scope of the tasks assigned to its bodies. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on any measures taken or envisaged, including by means of technical assistance, to ensure that the staff of the labour administration system have the material means and the financial resources necessary for the effective performance of their duties.

Part IV of the report form. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide, in accordance with the report form for the Convention approved by the Governing Body of the International Labour Office, extracts from all periodic reports or other information submitted by the main bodies comprising the labour administration.