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The Committee notes with interest the annual inspection report for 2009, containing figures on the staff of the labour inspection services, estimated data of workplaces liable to inspection, statistics of inspection visits, violations and penalties imposed and of industrial accidents as well as other instructive information on the activities of the General Labour Inspectorate (IGT), such as on preventive measures in the area of occupational safety and health.

The Committee notes an ongoing reform of the labour inspection system and a relevant plan for 2010–14. Further, it notes with interest that, following a request by the Government for technical assistance and an assessment of the situation of labour inspection in the country by a multidisciplinary team of the ILO in March and April 2010 in response to this request, various recommendations were made. These recommendations relate to the need for legislative reforms, particularly as regards safety and health, the conditions of service (remuneration, career prospects) and powers of labour inspectors (with a view to relieving them of additional functions, such as mediation or conciliation), classification of breaches of labour law according to their gravity and determination of appropriate sanctions, as well as the obligation of notification to the labour inspectorate of cases of occupational accidents and diseases, and the need to ensure the application in practice of the relevant legal provisions. In addition, the Committee notes recommendations for improved initial and regular training of labour inspectors; initiation of proactive inspection visits through check-lists and computerized registers of workplaces and other useful data; the promotion of collaboration with the social partners and other bodies, such as the National Institute for Social Security (INSS), as well as the strengthening of coercive enforcement mechanisms. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would keep the ILO informed of the steps taken in the framework of the ongoing reform, particularly in relation to the recommendations made by the ILO, and communicate a copy of any relevant texts or document.