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The Committee notes the information in the Government’s report.

1. In its previous observation, the Committee had noted the Government’s indication that there was no need to study equality of remuneration because remuneration was fixed through the General Collective Labour Agreement and sectoral agreements, unequal wages for the same work were formally prohibited and no discrimination on the ground of sex existed. At the same time, the Committee had also noted the information received from the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women highlighting the continuing pay gap between women and men and the fact that many of the new jobs occupied by women provide only low pay and limited career prospects. It had asked the Government to consider conducting studies on the position of men and women in the labour market, the extent of pay differentials, and the factors which perpetuate pay differentials between men and women in both the formal and informal economies in order to allow appropriate measures to be taken to improve the application of the Convention.

2. The Committee notes that the Government states in its reply that equal remuneration of men and women for equal work constitutes a political priority. It also notes the Government’s statements regarding the application of the existing legislation providing for gender equality and non-discrimination in the private and public sectors, the fact that fixing of wages takes place through the General Collective Labour Agreement and that no wage fixing methods in the public sector are based on prejudices in respect of the respective roles of men and women. The Committee notes that, in addition, the Government indicates that the General Secretariat on Equality has been participating in a number of activities and studies within the context of the European Union’s efforts to promote equal remuneration and that, together with the Centre for Equality Issues (KEOI), it elaborated the programmes entitled "Equal Remuneration and the Role of the Social Partners in Collective Bargaining", "Mind the Equal Pay Gap" and "Towards Closing the Equal Pay Gap" carried out between 2001 and 2003. The Committee asks the Government to provide more detailed information in its next report on the specific activities carried out under these programmes, including copies of the studies referred to, as well as an indication of the manner in which these programmes have contributed to a reduction in the pay gap between men and women and the promotion of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value in both the public and private sectors.

The Committee is raising other points in a request directly addressing the Government.