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1. The Committee notes with interest the information provided by the Government concerning the introduction of one of the world’s most severe average exposure limits (VLM) concerning asbestos of 10,000 fibres per m³ or 0.01 fibres/ml air as of 1 January 2003.

2. The Committee also notes with interest the information provided regarding the measures taken by the Caisse nationale d’assurance en cas d’accidents - Swiss National Accident Insurance Fund (CNA/Suva) - in collaboration with its main partners (including the Federal Office for Public Health (OFSP), the Federal Office for the Environment, Forests and Land (OFEFP), the Federal Office for Building and Construction (OFCL), trade unions and employers) - to coordinate national action in relation to asbestos and to step up the dissemination of relevant information.

3. Finally, the Committee notes with interest the measures taken to identify persons who have been exposed to asbestos through, inter alia, a review of medical journals, direct contacts with the medical profession, as well as through the specific initiative to collaborate with relevant authorities in neighbouring Italy in order to trace Italian workers who previously have been employed in Switzerland and entitled to benefits.

4. The Committee requests the Government to submit the relevant text prescribing the new VLM for asbestos and to keep it informed on further developments and progress in all the areas noted above.

5. The Committee is addressing a request directly to the Government on other points.