Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1992, published 79th ILC session (1992)

Labour Inspection (Agriculture) Convention, 1969 (No. 129) - France (Ratification: 1972)

1. The Committee notes the observations made by the National Union of Labour Directors of the Ministry of Agriculture concerning application of the Convention and the responsive comments made by the Government in its report; it recalls previous comments noting observations made by the same Union. The Union states that the situation in the labour inspectorate has further deteriorated; it raises the requirement that all travel must be authorised by a regional centre and asserts that this sort of management makes labour inspection in agriculture impossible. The Government responds that the centralisation of authority cited by the Union is useful for appreciating in a more global fashion the needs of the inspection service and that, generally, the Union's claims are overstated.

2. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes the information provided by the Government concerning the administrative arrangements in the Ministry of Agriculture which protect the independence and activities of the agricultural labour inspectorate (Article 8), and the arrangements made to furnish labour inspectors in agriculture with properly located and furnished offices and transport facilities (Article 15).

3. With regard to its previous comments concerning the confidentiality of sources of complaints (Article 20(c)), the Committee notes information provided by the Government concerning general confidentiality of correspondence. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would in addition ensure that the important principle of confidentiality is maintained with respect to the source of complaints and, in particular, describe the practical application of this Article of the Convention.

4. Articles 26 and 27, and Part IV of the report form. The Committee notes with interest the annual report on labour inspection for 1990. The Committee asks what measures are envisaged or have been taken to incorporate within the report statistics on occupational diseases and their causes as required by Article 27(g). The Committee would also be grateful to learn of any practical difficulties encountered in the application of the Convention, having regard in particular to the rise in the number of serious occupational accidents in 1989, and consequent measures taken.

5. The Committee has also noted that further comments were received from the Union during its current session. It would be glad if the Government would respond also to these comments in its next report.

[The Government is asked to report in detail for the period ending 30 June 1992.]