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1. The Committee notes the Government’s two successive reports on the period ending June 2003. This indicates that employment growth rose at the end of the period, with the number of registered unemployed declining by 5.5 per cent during the first half of 2003. The Committee notes that, according to the Government, this favourable trend of employment can be attributed to the success of the various assistance measures for recruitment and vocational integration. It requests the Government to continue providing information that is as detailed and up-to-date as possible so that it can evaluate the effectiveness of the labour market policy measures implemented in the territory.

2. Article 2 of the Convention. With reference to its previous request, the Committee recalls that it appreciates receiving any information on the manner in which employment policy is designed and pursued within the framework of a coordinated economic and social policy. It would be grateful if the Government would provide information in its next report on the manner in which employment objectives are taken into account in the adoption of the principal economic policies of the territory.

3. Article 3. The Committee notes that the Higher Council of Employment, Vocational Training and Social Promotion, composed of equal numbers of representatives of the Government and of employers’ and workers’ organizations, issues opinions on the annual planning of the Government’s employment and vocational training policy, and on the evaluation of the annual programme carried out. It requests the Government to provide information in future reports on the opinions issued by the Council and the manner in which they are taken into account.