GB.276/Inf.2
276th Session
Geneva, November 1999

1. Subregional Workshop for French-speaking
Central African Countries on the Promotion
of the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention

Proposed date:

2-4 December 1999

Place:

Douala, Cameroon

Financing:

ILO regular budget (US$30,000)

Geographical coverage:

Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon and Rwanda

Composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

8

(b) Employers:

8

(c) Workers:

8

Resource persons:

5 national consultants

Observers:

Central Africa Economic and Monetary Community

Economic Community of Central African States

United Nations Children's Fund

United Nations Development Programme

Purpose of meeting:

(i)

to promote the ratification of Convention No. 182;

(ii)

to eliminate the worst forms of child labour.

Relevance to international labour standards:

Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182); and Worst Forms of Child Labour Recommendation, 1999 (No. 190)

Working language:

French

2. Caribbean Tripartite Meeting on the
Worst Forms of Child Labour ⁽²⁾ 

Proposed date:

6-7 December 1999

Place:

Kingston, Jamaica

Financing:

IPEC (US$33,000); ILO regular budget (US$20,000)

Geographical coverage:

Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago

Composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

10

(b) Employers:

10

(c) Workers:

10

Resource persons:

3

Observers:

Caribbean Community

Children First (Jamaican NGO)

Department for International Development (Government of the United Kingdom)

European Union

The University of West Indies

United Nations Children's Fund

Purpose of meeting:

To promote the ratification and implementation of the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) and the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182), in the Caribbean and to focus on measures to eradicate and prevent child labour in the participating member States

Relevance to international labour standards:

Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138); and Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182)

Working language:

English

3. Subregional Conference on Labour and
Social Rights for Countries of the CIS

Proposed date:

8-9 December 1999

Place:

St. Petersburg, Russian Federation

Financing:

ILO regular budget (US$30,000)

Geographical coverage:

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russian Federation, Tadjikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan

Composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

12

(b) Employers:

12

(c) Workers:

12

Resource persons:

Parliamentarians of the CIS Assembly;

Mr. S. Mavrin, Member of the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations (if available)

Observers:

Council of Europe

European Commission

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

United Nations Development Programme

World Bank

Purpose of meeting:

(i)

to evaluate the situation of the ratification and implementation of the ILO core Conventions in CIS countries;

(ii)

to identify the obstacles to ratification and implementation of these Conventions;

(iii)

to assess the extent of the promotion in CIS countries of the fundamental principles and rights enshrined in the ILO Declaration of 1998;

(iv)

to identify the prospects and role of parliaments in the promotion of fundamental principles and rights;

(v)

to discuss the preparation of reports of CIS countries within the follow-up mechanism.

Relevance to international labour standards:

Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29); Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87); Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98); Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100); Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105); Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111); Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138); and Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182)

Working languages:

English and Russian

4. ILO/Japan/US Asia and Pacific Seminar on
the Application of the ILO Declaration on
Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work ⁽³⁾ 

Proposed date:

7-9 December 1999

Place:

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Financing:

Government of Japan (US$90,000); and Government of the United States (US$90,000)

Geographical coverage:

Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Fiji, Hong Kong/China, India, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Republic of Korea, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam

Composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

24

(b) Employers:

24

(c) Workers:

24

Resource persons:

2 independent experts

Observers:

Asian Development Bank

International Monetary Fund

United Nations Development Programme

United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

United Nations Children's Fund

United Nations Development Fund for Women

World Bank

Purpose of meeting:

(i)

to familiarize participants with the follow-up to the Declaration, including the preparation of annual and global reports as well as availability of ILO assistance and promotional activities;

(ii)

to examine the ILO InFocus programmes on Promoting the Declaration, and on Child Labour: IPEC;

(iii)

to promote better understanding of the rights and obligations under the ILO Constitution and the Declaration.

Relevance to international labour standards:

Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29); Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87); Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98); Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100); Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105); Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111); Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138); and Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182).

Working language:

English

5. East African Subregional Tripartite Meeting
on Discrimination in the World of Work

Proposed date:

2-4 February 2000

Place:

Kampala, Uganda

Financing:

ILO regular budget (US$17,500)

Geographical coverage:

Kenya, United Republic of Tanzania and Uganda

Composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

6

(b) Employers:

6

(c) Workers:

6

Purpose of meeting:

To promote the ratification of ILO Conventions concerning discrimination and to identify legal and practical obstacles to ratification

Relevance to international labour standards:

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100); Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111)

Working language:

English

6. Asian Regional Meeting on Labour
Inspection and Child Labour

Proposed date:

1-3 March 2000

Place:

Jakarta, Indonesia

Financing:

Government of Japan (US$124,178)

Geographical coverage:

Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam

Composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

14 (heads of labour inspection departments or equivalent)

(b) Employers:

14

(c) Workers:

14

Resource persons:

3 consultants responsible for national studies

1 representative of the donor (Government of Japan)

Observers:

Anti-Slavery International

Asian Development Bank

Child Workers in Asia Support Group

South Asian Coalition on Child Servitude

Save the Children

United Nations Children's Fund

United Nations Development Programme

United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

World Bank

World Vision International

Purpose of meeting:

To follow-up and bring a regional perspective to the findings of the Meeting of Experts on Labour Inspection and Child Labour (Geneva, 27 September-1 October 1999):

--

to strengthen the role of labour inspection in combating child labour;

--

to exchange information on best practices of integrating child labour issues in labour inspection systems; and

--

to strengthen the role of tripartite partners in monitoring child labour free zones.

Relevance to international labour standards:

Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 [and Protocol, 1995] (No. 81); Labour Inspectorates (Non-Metropolitan Territories) Convention, 1947 (No. 85); Labour Inspection (Agriculture) Convention, 1969 (No. 129); Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138); Labour Inspection (Seafarers) Convention, 1996 (No. 178); Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182); Labour Inspection Recommendation, 1947 (No. 81); Minimum Age Recommendation, 1973 (No. 146); Worst Forms of Child Labour Recommendation, 1999 (No. 190)

Working language:

English

7. Southern African Subregional Seminar
on Preventive Labour Inspection

Proposed date:

20-24 March 2000

Place:

Lilongwe, Malawi

Financing:

ILO regular budget (US$20,000); and ARLAC (US$15,000)

Geographical coverage:

Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe

Composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

9

(b) Employers:

9

(c) Workers:

9

Resource persons:

1 representative of a government

1 representative of the employers

1 representative of the workers

2 from academic institutions

Purpose of meeting:

(i)

to examine the best use of preventive strategies for ensuring the effectiveness of the labour inspection function within the labour administration system;

(ii)

to improve safety at the place of work through enhancing the knowledge of the participants of preventive labour inspection.

Relevance to international labour standards:

Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 [and Protocol, 1995] (No. 81); Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155); and Occupational Safety and Health Recommendation, 1981 (No. 164)

Working language:

English

Employment Sector

8. Subregional Seminar on Employment
Promotion for GCC ⁽⁴⁾  Countries

Proposed date:

March 2000

Place:

United Arab Emirates

Financing:

ILO regular budget (US$50,000)

Geographical coverage:

Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates

Composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

18 (1 from the Ministry of Labour, 1 from the Ministry of Planning and 1 from the vocational training authorities of each of the participating countries)

(b) Employers:

6

(c) Workers:

6

Resource persons:

3 from academic institutions

Observers:

Council of Ministers of Labour and Social Affairs in the Arab Gulf States

Purpose of meeting:

To review and evaluate existing employment policies, vocational training programmes and human resources development as well as their implications for promoting employment in GCC countries

Relevance to international labour standards:

Migration for Employment Convention (Revised), 1949 (No. 97); Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122); Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142); Private Employment Agencies Convention, 1997 (No. 181); Human Resources Development Recommendation, 1975 (No. 150); Protection of Migrant Workers (Underdeveloped Countries) Recommendation, 1955 (No. 100); Employment Policy (Supplementary Provisions) Recommendation, 1984 (No. 169)

Working language:

Arabic

9. Caribbean Subregional Meeting
of Ministers of Labour

Proposed date:

26-28 April 2000

Place:

Jamaica

Financing:

ILO regular budget (US$21,467); and participating governments (US$40,000)

Geographical coverage:

Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Netherlands Antilles (Curaçao), Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands

Composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

42 (21 ministers and 21 advisers)

(b) Employers:

2 (of which 1 local)

(c) Workers:

2 (of which 1 local)

Observers:

CARICOM

Purpose of meeting:

(i)

to encourage ministers of labour to be more proactive in developing and promoting national labour policies in line with ILO Conventions, in particular the fundamental labour standards;

(ii)

to promote social dialogue and social partnership arrangements, improve industrial relations and social protection;

(iii)

to review regional and international developments which have an impact on the labour portfolio;

(iv)

to consider employment issues as well as the role of the State and negotiating flexibility in employment relations.

Relevance to international labour standards:

Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29); Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87); Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98); Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100); Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105); Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111); Labour Inspection (Agriculture) Convention, 1969 (No. 129); Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138); Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144); Labour Administration Convention, 1978 (No. 150); Labour Relations (Public Service) Convention, 1978 (No. 151); Collective Bargaining Convention, 1981 (No. 154); Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155); Workers with Family Responsibilities Convention, 1981 (No. 156); Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983 (No. 159); Occupational Health Services Convention, 1985 (No. 161); Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182); Tripartite Consultation (Activities of the International Labour Organisation) Recommendation, 1976 (No. 152); Labour Administration Recommendation, 1978 (No. 158); and Labour Relations (Public Service) Recommendation, 1978 (No. 159)

Working language:

English

10. Central American Subregional Tripartite Meeting
on Employment, Training and Vocational Skills

Proposed date:

April or May 2000

Place:

To be determined

Financing:

ILO regular budget (US$47,217); and CINTERFOR (US$6,000)

Geographical coverage:

Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama

Composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

8

(b) Employers:

8

(c) Workers:

8

Resource persons:

2 from the Government of Mexico, 1 from CINTERFOR and 7 representatives of vocational training institutions

Observers:

Centro Asesor para el Desarollo de los Recursos Humanos de Honduras

Consejo del Sector Privado para la Asistencia Educadora de Panamá

Fe y alegria

Fundación Empresarial para el Desarollo Educativo de el Salvador

Sistema Nacional de Educación Técnica para la Competitividad de Costa Rica

Purpose of meeting:

(i)

to discuss the employment situation in the world and in the subregion and its relationship to the employability of the labour force;

(ii)

to analyse the situation of vocational training in Latin America and in the subregion, its characteristics, evolution, perspectives, potentials and limitations;

(iii)

to improve the conceptualization of vocational skills, its articulation with a formative/productive paradigm and the necessary agreement of national tripartite constituents;

(iv)

to promote the revision of a subregional strategy with a view to readjusting the vocational training systems, permitting to supply the globalized market with a qualified labour force, train the excluded, improve employability, competitivity and productivity, increase equity between men and women in access to training and employment, and diminish unemployment.

Relevance to international labour standards:

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111); Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142); Workers with Family Responsibilities Convention, 1981 (No. 156); Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Recommendation, 1958 (No. 111); Human Resources Development Recommendation, 1975 (No. 150); and Workers with Family Responsibilities Recommendation, 1981 (No. 165)

Working language:

Spanish

11. Interregional Seminar on the Promotion
of Technical Cooperation in Arab States

Proposed date:

May 2000

Place:

Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic

Financing:

ILO regular budget (US$90,000)

Geographical coverage:

Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Lybian Arab Jamahiriya, Morocco, Oman, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia and Yemen

Composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

24 (1 each from the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Planning)

(b) Employers:

12

(c) Workers:

12

Resource persons:

3 consultants, 2 resource persons from the Arab Gulf Programme for United Nations Development Organizations (AGFUND)

Purpose of meeting:

(i)

to enhance the collaboration between the ILO, the donors and the recipient countries with regard to technical cooperation within the framework of the ILO's strategic objectives and the needs of member States;

(ii)

to strengthen the partnership among the multibilateral players and to increase the volume of technical cooperation activities.

Relevance to international labour standards:

Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 [and Protocol, 1995] (No. 81); Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87); Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98); Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100); Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105); Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111); Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122); Labour Inspection (Agriculture) Convention, 1969 (No. 129); Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138); Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144); Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182); and their related Recommendations

Working language:

Arabic

12. Interregional Symposium on Strategies
to Combat Youth Unemployment and
Marginalization: Additional information ⁽⁵⁾ 

Former date:

24-27 November 1999

New date:

13-14 December 1999

Place:

Geneva, Switzerland

13. Interregional Seminar on Achieving Equality
in Employment for Migrant and Ethnic Minority
Workers: Additional information ⁽⁶⁾ 

Former date:

Second half of 1998

New date:

8-11 March 2000

Place:

Geneva, Switzerland

Former geographical coverage:

Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom and United States

New geographical coverage:

Add Norway and Switzerland to the above list of countries.

Former composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

12

(b) Employers:

12

(c) Workers:

12

New composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

14

(b) Employers:

14

(c) Workers:

14

Social Protection Sector

14. Interregional Consultations on
the ILO SafeWork Programme

Proposed date:

13-14 December 1999

Place:

Geneva, Switzerland

Financing:

ILO regular budget US$50,000

Geographical coverage:

Germany, India, Mexico, Poland, South Africa, Thailand and United States

Composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

7

(b) Employers:

7

(c) Workers:

7

Resource persons:

1 from the National Safety Council, United States

Observers:

European Commission; European Agency for Safety and Health at Work; International Commission on Occupational Health; International Occupational Hygiene Association; World Health Organization

Purpose of meeting:

(i)

to increase awareness of both SafeWork and the role of the ILO in this respect;

(ii)

to develop potential partnerships;

(iii)

to identify potential sources of funding;

(iv)

to identify human and material resources that could potentially be used in SafeWork;

(v)

to identify national priorities in occupational safety and health with a view to incorporting them in ILO's SafeWork programme;

(vi)

to identify potential resources for media-related activities.

Relevant to international labour standards:

Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 [and Protocol, 1995] (No. 81); and Labour Inspection Recommendation, 1947 (No. 81); Labour Inspection (Agriculture) Convention, 1969 (No. 129); and Labour Inspection (Agriculture) Recommendation, 1969 (No. 133); Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155); and Occupational Safety and Health Recommendation, 1981 (No. 164); Occupational Health Services Convention, 1985 (No. 161); and Occupational Health Services Recommendation, 1985 (No 171).

Working language:

English

15. ILO/PAHO Latin American and Caribbean Regional
Tripartite Meeting on the Extension of Health Care
to Excluded Groups: Additional information ⁽⁷⁾ 

Date:

29 November-1 December 1999

Place:

Mexico City, Mexico

Original composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

10

(b) Employers:

10

(c) Workers:

10

New composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

20 (including 10 from ministries of health)

(b) Employers:

10

(c) Workers:

10

Social Dialogue Sector

16. ARLAC African Subregional Seminar on
Globalization, Regional Integration and
Labour Administration

Proposed date:

14-18 February 2000

Place:

Harare, Zimbabwe

Financing:

ILO regular budget (US$20,000); and ARLAC (US$10,000)

Geographical coverage:

Botswana, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, Seychelles, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland and Zimbabwe

Composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

14

(b) Employers:

7

(c) Workers:

7

Resource persons:

1 from the public sector

2 from the private sector

2 from academic institutions

Purpose of meeting:

(i)

to analyse the modalities and the appropriate framework for regional integration as a prerequisite for the region's competitivity within the global economy, and to examine the role of labour administration in this regard;

(ii)

to share experiences in enhancing international economic cooperation and in creating a suitable framework permitting labour administration to contribute to the realization of that goal.

Relevance to international labour standards:

Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144)

Working language:

English

17. Caribbean Subregional Training Workshop
for Conciliators/Mediators

Proposed date:

21-26 February 2000

Place:

Dominica

Financing:

ILO regular budget (US$16,426.85); and participating governments (US$18,000)

Geographical coverage:

Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Turks and Caicos Islands

Composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

11

(b) Employers:

2

(c) Workers:

2

Resource persons:

2 senior conciliators from the Ministries of Labour in Barbados and Jamaica

Purpose of meeting:

(i)

to increase the effectiveness of the dispute resolution machinery through improving the exising conciliation/mediation skills and permitting the acquisition of new ones;

(ii)

to strengthen the capacity of conciliators/mediators to assist employers and workers to resolve their labour disputes.

Relevance to international labour standards:

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87); Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98); Labour Administration Convention, 1978 (No. 150); Labour Relations (Public Service) Convention, 1978 (No. 151); Collective Bargaining Convention, 1981 (No. 154); Voluntary Conciliation and Arbitration Recommendation, 1951 (No. 92); Examination of Grievances Recommendation, 1967 (No. 130); Labour Administration Recommendation, 1978 (No. 158); Labour Relations (Public Service) Recommendation, 1978 (No. 159); and Collective Bargaining Recommendation, 1981 (No. 163)

Working language:

English

18. Interregional Meeting for Arab Countries on the
Promotion of Tripartism and Social Dialogue

Proposed date:

7-9 March 2000

Place:

Beirut, Lebanon

Financing:

ILO regular budget (US$110,000)

Geographical coverage:

ROAS: Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syrian Arab Republic, United Arab Emirates and Yemen

AFRICA: Algeria, Egypt, Lybian Arab Jamahiriya, Morocco, Mauritania, Tunisia and Sudan

Composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

18

(b) Employers:

18

(c) Workers:

18

Resource persons:

5

Observers:

General Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture for Arab Countries

Arab Labour Organization

Council of Ministers of Labour and Social Affairs in the Arab Gulf States

International Confederation of Arab Trade Unions

Palestinian Authority

Purpose of meeting:

To enhance tripartite consultation and to promote social dialogue as an essential aspect of developing social and economic policy

Relevance to international labour standards:

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87); Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98); Workers' Representatives Convention, 1971 (No. 135); Rural Workers' Organisations Convention, 1975 (No. 141); Labour Relations (Public Service) Convention, 1978 (No. 151); Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144); and their related Recommendations

Working language:

Arabic

19. Subregional Symposium on the Promotion
of Tripartism and Social Dialogue in the
Formulation and Implementation of National
Policies in Southern African Countries:
Additional information ⁽⁸⁾ 

Former date:

4-8 October 1999

New date:

22-24 February 2000

Place:

Gabarone, Botswana

Employers' activities

20. ILO/ACI ⁽⁹⁾  Subregional Seminar for Arab
States on Challenges of the New Century ⁽¹⁰⁾ 

Proposed date:

30 November-2 December 1999

Place:

Amman, Jordan

Financing:

ILO regular budget (US$34,200); ACI (US$10,500)

Geographical coverage:

Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syrian Arab Republic, United Arab Emirates and Yemen

Composition of participants:

Employers:

11

Resource persons:

5 resource persons from academic and private consultancy institutions

Observers:

Employers' Organization of the West Bank and Gaza

General Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture for Arab Countries

Gulf Council for Industrial Development

Purpose of meeting:

(i)

to provide a platform for the exchange of opinions and views concerning the fears and aspirations of the future;

(ii)

to propose a common policy for future inter-Arab employers' cooperation;

(iii)

to examine the relation of Arab employers' organizations with international organizations and, in particular, the ILO.

Relevance to international labour standards:

Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144); and Job Creation in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Recommendation, 1998 (No. 189)

Working language:

Arabic

21. Subregional Workshop for Selected African
Countries on Child Labour and Promotion
of the Worst Forms of Child Labour
Convention, 1999 (No. 182)

Proposed date:

23-25 February 2000

Place:

Dakar, Senegal

Financing:

ILO regular budget (US$55,665)

Geographical coverage:

Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe

Composition of participants:

Employers:

10 (2 each from Senegal, Uganda and Zimbabwe, and 1 each from Ghana, Kenya, United Republic of Tanzania and Zambia)

Observers:

United Nations Children's Fund

Purpose of meeting:

To exchange views on the implementation of the Norwegian project on child labour and approve a blueprint to serve in child labour-related operational activities of employers' organizations

Relevance to international labour standards:

Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182); and Worst Forms of Child Labour Recommendation, 1999 (No. 190)

Working languages:

English and French

22. Central and Eastern European and Central
Asian Subregional Seminar for the Employers'
Organizations of Transition Countries

Proposed date:

March or April 2000

Place:

Tel Aviv, Israel

Financing:

ILO regular budget (US$12,500); Government of Israel (US$30,300); and DANIDA (US$35,000)

Geographical coverage:

Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan

Composition of participants:

Employers:

21

Resource persons:

10 from the Government and employers' organizations of Israel;

1 from a Western employers' organization

Purpose of meeting:

(i)

to strengthen the capacity of employers' organizations to promote their interests and to provide adequate services to employers in transition countries;

(ii)

to enhance the capacity of employers' organizations to contribute actively to the transition process and to the creation and development of a positive business climate promoting social and economic growth.

Relevance to international labour standards:

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87); Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98); and Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144)

Working languages:

English, Hebrew and Russian

23. Asia and Pacific Subregional Executive
Development Programme for Chief Executive
Officers of Employers' Organizations

Proposed date:

2-9 April 2000

Place:

Sidney, Australia

Financing:

ILO regular budget (US$73,900)

Geographical coverage:

Bangladesh, China, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam

Composition of participants:

Employers:

14

Resource persons:

7

Purpose of meeting:

(i)

to improve the management skills of the heads of the secretariats of the employers' organizations of participating countries in fields such as competitiveness, industrial relations, human resources management, change management and organizational development;

(ii)

to enhance such skills as leadership, decision-making, team building and leading, negotiations and interpersonal skills.

Relevance to international labour standards:

Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144)

Working language:

English

24. African Subregional Employers' Meeting
on the ILO Declaration on Fundamental
Principles and Rights at Work

Proposed date:

10-11 April 2000

Place:

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Financing:

DANIDA (US$39,000)

Geographical coverage:

Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe

Composition of participants:

Employers:

18

Resource persons:

1

Purpose of meeting:

To promote the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work among leaders of employers' organizations in the subregion

Relevance to international labour standards:

Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29); Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87); Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98); Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100); Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105); Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111); and Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138)

Working language:

English

25. South Asian Subregional Symposium on the
Role of Employers and their Organizations
in Promoting Youth Employment

Proposed date:

9-11 May 2000

Place:

Bangalore, India

Financing:

DANIDA (US$30,750)

Geographical coverage:

Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka

Composition of participants:

Employers:

10

Resource persons:

5 (1 from each country)

Purpose of meeting:

(i)

to develop the capacity of employers' organizations to contribute to youth employment initiatives;

(ii)

to review a draft manual on youth employment for employers' organizations;

(iii)

to give effect to the resolution adopted by the International Labour Conference in 1998 on youth employment.

Working language:

English

26. Technical Meeting on Employers and
Vocational Training in Latin America

Proposed date:

May 2000

Place:

Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia

Financing:

CINTERFOR (US$16,500)

Geographical coverage:

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Spain, Uruguay and Venezuela

Composition of participants:

Employers:

21

Purpose of meeting:

To analyse the experiences of employers' organizations of the region with the management of vocational training programmes

Relevance to international labour standards:

Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142); and Human Resources Development Recommendation, 1975 (No. 150);

Working language:

Spanish

27. Subregional Employers' Conference for Selected
Eastern European Countries: Additional information ⁽¹¹⁾ 

Former date:

28-30 September 1999

New date:

First quarter of 2000

Former place:

Yalta, Ukraine

New place:

Kyiv, Ukraine

Workers' activities

28. Technical Meeting on Workers and
Vocational Training in Latin America

Proposed date:

23-25 February 2000

Place:

Montevideo, Uruguay

Financing:

CINTERFOR (US$35,400)

Geographical coverage:

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela

Composition of participants:

Workers:

23

Purpose of meeting:

(i)

to exchange experiences on the participation of trade unions in the management of vocational training;

(ii)

to strengthen the mechanisms of horizontal cooperation between workers' organizations in the field of vocational training.

Relevance to international labour standards:

Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142); and Human Resources Development Recommendation, 1975 (No. 150)

Working language:

Spanish

29. Caribbean Subregional Meeting on
Effective Management of Trade
Union/Worker-owned Enterprises

Proposed date:

20-23 March 2000

Place:

Jamaica

Financing:

ILO regular budget (US$21,450)

Geographical coverage:

Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago

Composition of participants:

Workers:

26

Resource persons:

1 from the Caribbean Congress of Labour

Observers:

National Productivity Board, Barbados

University of West Indies, Jamaica

Purpose of meeting:

(i)

to develop approaches for strengthening the management structures in worker-owned enterprises;

(ii)

to articulate a best practices model for the management of trade union-owned enterprises in the subregion.

Working language:

English

30. Subregional Workers' Seminar on Women's
Participation in Trade Unions in English-speaking
African Countries: Additional information ⁽¹²⁾ 

Former date:

Last quarter of 1999

New date:

22-26 November 1999

Place:

Harare, Zimbabwe

31. Asian and Pacific Regional Symposium for
Trade Union Organizations on Migrant
Workers: Additional information ⁽¹³⁾ 

Former date:

7-9 December 1999

New date:

6-8 December 1999

Former place:

Bangkok, Thailand

New place:

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

32. Subregional Technical Meeting for Workers'
Organizations of Andean Countries on their
Role in Industrial Relations Systems:
Additional information ⁽¹⁴⁾ 

Former date:

29 November-1 December 1999

New date:

9-11 December 1999

Former place:

Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia

New place:

Lima, Peru

Meetings submitted to the Officers of the Governing Body
through the special procedure and held prior to the
present session of the Governing Body

33. South Asian Subregional Seminar for
Permanent Secretaries and Senior Officials
of Ministries of Labour in South Asia ⁽¹⁵⁾ 

Proposed date:

18 -20 August

Place:

Bangkok, Thailand

Financing:

ILO regular budget (US$30,000)

Geographical coverage:

Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka

Composition of participants:

Governments:

10 (1 secretary and 1 senior official from each government)

Resource persons:

2 experts from the region

Purpose of meeting:

To exchange views on globalization and structural reforms of the region and their implications for labour administration

Relevance to international labour standards:

Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 [and Protocol, 1995] (No. 81); Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100); Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111); Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138); Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144); Labour Administration Convention, 1978 (No. 150).

Working language:

English

34. Joint ILO/UNHCR Interregional Technical
Workshop: Microfinance in Post-conflict Countries ⁽¹⁶⁾ 

Proposed date:

15-17 September 1999

Place:

Geneva, Switzerland

Financing:

ILO regular budget (US$34,000); SIDA (US$50,000); and UNHCR (US$30,000)

Geographical coverage:

Bosnia, Burundi, Cambodia, Georgia, Liberia, Mozambique, Sri Lanka and Uganda

Financing their own expenses: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States

Composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

25

(b) Employers:

2

(c) Workers:

2

Resource persons:

4 national consultants and 2 international resource persons

Observers:

Association of Cambodian Local Economic Agencies

Canadian International Development Agency

CARE International

Constanta, Georgia

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

International Fund for Agricultural Development

Netherlands Development Agency

Oxfam International

SOCREMO, Mozambique

Swedish International Development Agency

Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation

United Nations Children's Fund

United Nations Development Programme

United Nations Office for Project Services

United States Agency for International Development

World Relief Foundation

Purpose of meeting:

To prepare a guide on best international practices for post-conflict microfinancing

Working language:

English

35. Subregional Workers' Seminar on Industrial
Relations in Europe and Central America:
The Point of View of Trade Unions ⁽¹⁷⁾ 

Proposed date:

20-24 September 1999

Place:

San José, Costa Rica

Financing:

European Union (US$45,627)

Geographical coverage:

Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and Spain

Composition of participants:

Workers:

18

Resource persons:

9 European trade union leaders

Purpose of meeting:

(i)

to inform the participants about the framework within which industrial relations develop in the European Union;

(ii)

to study the mechanisms of participation of European trade unions in the definition of trade union policy;

(iii)

to identify the relevant aspects to be included in the trade union strategies of Central American trade unions;

(iv)

to improve the information available to European trade unions about industrial relations in Central America.

Relevance to international labour standards:

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87); Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98); Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144)

Working language:

Spanish

36. Regional Tripartite Workshop on Promoting
the Declaration and its Follow-up in Africa ⁽¹⁸⁾ 

Proposed date:

6-8 October 1999

Place:

Dakar, Senegal

Financing:

ILO regular budget (US$282,623)

Geographical coverage:

Angola, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe

Composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

20

(b) Employers:

20

(c) Workers:

20

Resource persons:

3

Observers:

East African Community

East African Trade Union Consultative Council

Economic Community of West African States

Organization of African Unity

Southern African Development Community

Southern African Trade Union Coordination Council

West African Economic and Monetary Union

Purpose of meeting:

(i)

to discuss the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its Follow-up; and

(ii)

to assist constituents in the preparation of the first annual report called for under the Declaration.

Relevance to international labour standards:

Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29); Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87); Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98); Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100); Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105); Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111); Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138); and Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999 (No. 182)

Working languages:

English, French and Portuguese

37. Latin American Subregional Seminar on
Structural Adjustment Programmes and
Social Dialogue ⁽¹⁹⁾ 

Proposed date:

11-12 October 1999

Place:

Bogotá, Colombia

Financing:

ILO regular budget (US$23,000)

Geographical coverage:

Colombia, Equador and Venezuela

Composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

6 (1 each from the ministries of labour and the ministries of finance)

(b) Employers:

3

(c) Workers:

3

Resource persons:

3 from academic institutions

Observers:

International Monetary Fund

United Nations Development Programme

World Bank

Purpose of meeting:

(i)

to develop, in cooperation with governments and the social partners specific recommendations as part of the action programme on structural adjustment, employment and the role of the social partners;

(ii)

to exchange experiences between the participating countries and develop a concrete plan of action for each country.

Relevance to international labour standards:

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87); Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122); and Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 144).

Working language:

Spanish

38. Regional Tripartite Workshop on Strategies to
Tackle Social and Labour Implications of HIV/AIDS ⁽²⁰⁾ 

Proposed date:

11-13 October 1999

Place:

Windhoek, Namibia

Financing:

ILO regular budget (US$221,280)

Geographical coverage:

Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Swaziland, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe

Composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

20

(b) Employers:

20

(c) Workers:

20

Resource persons:

2 consultants from private consultancy firms

Observers:

Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS

Organization of African Unity

Southern African Development Community

United Nations Development Programme

World Bank

Purpose of meeting:

(i)

to exchange information on experiences and action taken by governments and employers' and workers' organizations to deal with the problem of HIV/AIDS at and through the workplace;

(ii)

to identify the needs of ILO constituents concerning a more effective prevention policy, including the incorporation of HIV/AIDS activities in occupational safety and health programmes;

(iii)

to develop a workplace-based programme of action on HIV/AIDS.

Relevance to international labour standards:

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111); and Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155)

Working languages:

English and French

39. African Regional Workshop on Strengthening
the Capacity of Employers' Organizations to
Promote Investment and Employment Creation ⁽²¹⁾ 

Proposed date:

11-13 October 1999

Place:

Yaoundé, Cameroon

Financing:

ILO regular budget (US$110,259)

Geographical coverage:

Algeria, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Mauritania, Mauritius, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Togo, Tunisia

Composition of participants:

Employers:

25

Purpose of meeting:

To follow up the recommendations of the 22nd Session of the Commission on Labour and Social Affairs of the Organization of African Unity (Windhoek, Namibia, 22-23 April 1999) and of the 8th Panafrican Conference of Employers' Organizations (Dakar, Senegal 10-12 May 1999);

Working languages:

English and French

40. African Subregional Tripartite Seminar
on Labour Relations in the SADC Region ⁽²²⁾ 

Proposed date:

13-15 October 1999

Place:

Johannesburg, South Africa

Financing:

Government of Switzerland (US$105,220)

Geographical coverage:

Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe

Composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

14

(b) Employers:

14

(c) Workers:

14

Resource persons:

4 experts from academic institutions

Purpose of meeting:

(i)

to promote dialogue among SADC member countries in areas of common interest, in particular in the field of minimum labour standards, collective bargaining, dispute prevention and resolution and workplace democracy;

(ii)

to encourage a more stable and equitable labour relations environment which could meet the challenges of economic growth and globalization.

Relevance to international labour standards:

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87); Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98); Collective Bargaining Convention, 1981 (No. 154); Voluntary Conciliation and Arbitration Recommendation, 1951 (No. 92); Examination of Grievances Recommendation, 1967 (No. 130); Collective Bargaining Recommendation, 1981 (No. 163)

Working language:

English

41. High-level Tripartite Regional Symposium
on Social Dialogue: A Prerequisite for Social
and Economic Development in Africa ⁽²³⁾ 

Proposed date:

20-22 October 1999

Place:

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Financing:

ILO regular budget (US$242,956)

Geographical coverage:

Algeria, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zimbabwe

Composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

20

(b) Employers:

20

(c) Workers:

20

Resource persons:

5 consultants from related ILO projects

Observers:

American Center for International Labour Solidarity

Central Africa Economic and Monetary Community

East African Community

East African Trade Union Consultative Council

Economic Community of West African States

Southern African Development Community

Southern African Trade Union Coordination Council

West African Economic and Monetary Union

Purpose of meeting:

(i)

to exchange experiences and share visions of the development of social dialogue in the next century;

(ii)

to examine the impact of social dialogue on social and economic development and to analyse the subregional and regional dimensions of social dialogue.

Relevance to international labour standards:

Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29); Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87); Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98); Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100); Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105); Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111); Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138).

Working languages:

English and French

42. South-East European Subregional Tripartite
High-level Conference on Employment,
Labour and Social Policy ⁽²⁴⁾ 

Proposed date:

21-22 October 1999

Place:

Sofia, Bulgaria

Financing:

ILO regular budget (US$52,000)

Geographical coverage:

Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Slovenia, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey

Composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

9

(b) Employers:

9

(c) Workers:

9

Observers:

Economic Commission for Europe

European Trade Union Confederation

Union of Industrial and Employers' Confederations of Europe

International Monetary Fund

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

United Nations Development Programme

World Bank

Purpose of meeting:

(i)

to enrich the EU project concerning the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe through the provision of an input in the field of employment, labour and social policy; and

(ii)

to discuss the consequences of the Kosovo crisis.

Relevance to international labour standards:

Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29); Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87); Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98); Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100); Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105); Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111); and Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138)

Working language:

Bulgarian, English, French, German and Turkish ⁽²⁵⁾ 

43. African Regional Leadership Workshop on
Trade Union Policy and Strategy concerning
Capacity Building and Self-development ⁽²⁶⁾ 

Proposed date:

25-28 October 1999

Place:

Yaounde, Cameroon

Financing:

ILO regular budget (US$111,226)

Geographical coverage:

Algeria, Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Tunisia, Zambia and Zimbabwe

Composition of participants:

Workers:

25, of whom 30 per cent must be women

Purpose of meeting:

To develop the capacity of trade unions to design policy for skills training and self-development

Relevance to international labour standards:

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87); Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98); Workers' Representatives Convention, 1971 (No. 135); Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142); Collective Bargaining Convention, 1981 (No. 154); Workers' Representatives Recommendation, 1971 (No. 143); Human Resources Development Recommendation, 1975 (No. 150); and Collective Bargaining Recommendation, 1981 (No. 163)

Working languages:

English and French

44. Subregional Central, Eastern and Southern European
Tripartite Workshop on Employment and Free
Movement of Workers in relation to the European
Union Accession Process: Additional information ⁽²⁷⁾ 

Former date:

17-24 October 1999

New date:

25 October-1 November 1999

Place:

Nicosia, Cyprus

Former geographical coverage:

Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia

New geographical coverage:

In addition to the abovementioned countries, Malta would be invited

Additional event:

Within the programme (29-30 October 1999), the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance of Cyprus would organize, in cooperation with the ILO, a "Ministers' Conference on the Employment and Social Dimension in the European Union Accession Process". The Ministers of the accession countries, including Malta, the Ministers of Labour of Finland and Portugal (the present and forthcoming holders of the EU Presidency), ETUC, UNICE, the Officers of the ILO Governing Body and the Directorate General V of the European Commission would be invited to participate in this special event

New financing:

The additional cost would be born by the ILO and the Government of Cyprus

45. Central European Seminar for the Employers'
Organizations of the Candidate Countries for
Membership in the European Union ⁽²⁸⁾ 

Proposed date:

16-17 November 1999 ⁽²⁹⁾ 

Place:

Prague, Czech Republic

Financing:

Government of the Netherlands (US$25,046); ILO regular budget (US$4,575)

Geographical coverage:

Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia

Composition of participants:

Employers:

15 (2 each from the visiting countries, 5 from the host country)

Resource persons:

--

1 delegate from the International Organization of Employers;

--

1 delegate from the Union of Industrial and Employers' Confederations of Europe (UNICE);

--

2 experts from the employers' organizations of two European Union member countries (proposed: Austria and Finland).

Purpose of meeting:

To exchange information between the employers' organizations of the candidate countries and those of former candidates, and experts of the IOE and UNICE on the involvement of employers' organizations in the accession negotiations

Working language:

English

46. Asian Regional Seminar on Industrial Relations
and Globalization: Additional information ⁽³⁰⁾ 

Date:

31 August-2 September 1999

Place:

Bangkok, Thailand

Original geographical coverage:

Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Fiji, Hong Kong/China, India, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Republic of Korea, Lao Peoples' Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam

New geographical coverage:

In addition to the abovementioned countries a tripartite delegation would be invited from Australia and New Zealand

Original composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

22

(b) Employers:

22

(c) Workers:

22

New composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

24

(b) Employers:

24

(c) Workers:

24

47. Round Table Meeting on New Paradigms to
Stimulate Recovery from Financial and Social
Crises in the Asia-Pacific Region: Enterprise
and Society Partnerships: Additional information ⁽³¹⁾ 

Date:

22-24 September 1999

Place:

Bangkok, Thailand

Former composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

13

(b) Employers:

13

(c) Workers:

13

New composition of participants:

(a) Governments:

26 (including 1 representative of the ministry responsible for enterprise development from each country)

(b) Employers:

13

(c) Workers:

13

Former financing:

ILO regular budget (US$100,000)

New financing:

ILO regular budget (US$123,000)