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1. The Committee notes with interest the information provided by the Government in response to its previous comments. According to this information, the Executive has included on the agenda of the National Congress (by Decree No. 57 of 27 January 1999) a Framework Bill respecting the public service which explicitly provides for the repeal of sections 8(g) and 33(g) of Act No. 22140 of 1980, respecting the basic terms and conditions of employment in the public service, which prohibits access to the national public administration and requires the dismissal from their jobs of officials who belong or have belonged to groups advocating the denial of the principles of the Constitution, or who adhere personally to a doctrine of this nature. The Committee had noted in its previous comments a previous Bill to repeal these provisions, which was not finally adopted. It once again expresses the hope that the provisions in question will be repealed and requests the Government to keep it informed of the progress achieved in the amendment by the National Congress of the Act respecting the basic terms and conditions of employment in the public service.

2. The Committee notes with interest Decree No. 66/99 of 29 January 1999, approving the collective labour agreement for the national public administration, which will be in force until 31 December 2000 and does not retain the provisions 8(g) and 33(g) of Act No. 22140, which had been the subject of the Committee's previous comments. The Committee also welcomes the fact that, under section 129 of this collective agreement, the parties agree to eliminate any measure or practice which might result in discriminatory treatment or inequality between workers on the grounds of sex, nationality, race, religion, politics, trade union membership or any other criterion.

3. The Committee is raising other points in a request which it is addressing directly to the Government.