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1. The Committee notes the Government's report for the period ending May 1998, as well as the information which it provided in reply to its previous request. It notes that the fall in the number of redundancies and the recovery of demand for labour have resulted in a reduction of the registered unemployment rate, which fell to 2.3 per cent at the end of the period, as well as in the number of workers on "compulsory leave" or who are working part time. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing statistics which are as detailed as possible, not only on registered unemployment, but also on the active population and the various forms of underemployment.

2. The Committee notes that the Government attributes the favourable developments on the labour market to the improvement in the economic situation and the implementation of economic and social reforms. However, it notes that the report does not contain information on the nature of these reforms and on the manner in which they contribute to promoting employment. The Committee recalls in this respect that employment policy measures must, under the terms of Article 2 of the Convention, be adopted "within the framework of a coordinated economic and social policy". It once again requests the Government to provide the information requested in the report form on the principal global and sectoral policies pursued in order to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment. In particular, please indicate the manner in which their actual or expected effects on employment are taken into account in the implementation of structural reforms.

3. The Committee notes the statistics on the number of beneficiaries of vocational training, public works and job creation measures. It would be grateful if the Government would provide any evaluation available of the contribution made by these various measures to the long-term integration of the persons concerned into employment. The Committee also notes the information contained in the latest report on the application of Convention No. 142, and requests the Government to continue providing information on the measures which have been taken or are envisaged to improve the coordination of education and training policies with prospective employment opportunities.

4. Article 3. The Committee notes the Government's statement that representatives of the persons affected, and in particular representatives of employers and workers, are consulted in the formulation of national and regional employment programmes. It requests the Government to describe the procedures for this consultation. With reference to its request concerning Convention No. 88, the Committee asks the Government to describe the manner in which labour and social conciliation commissions participate in the formulation of the annual employment programme and the monitoring of its application.