Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2002, published 91st ILC session (2003)

Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81) - Bulgaria (Ratification: 1949)

With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes with satisfaction that, as a result of the adoption in May 2000 of the Decree of May 2000 establishing and determining the functions, organization and operation of the General Labour Inspectorate Executive Agency (EAGLI), supervision of compliance with legal provisions in the field of occupational safety and health is now the responsibility of an inspection system, and that this system is to be placed under the sole authority of the department responsible for labour, which is also responsible for coordinating labour inspection activities, including those which may be entrusted to services under the responsibility of other structures. The Committee notes that the Government has thereby given effect to the conclusions of a mission report by an ILO expert in January 1998 on the need to modernize the labour inspection system on an integrated basis, and that this approach is endorsed by the representative organizations of the social partners. The Committee also notes that the new Decree provides that the functions envisaged in Article 3, paragraph 1(b) and (c), of the Convention, namely the provision of technical information and advice to employers and workers concerning the most effective means of complying with the legal provisions, and to bring to the notice of the competent authority defects or abuses not specifically covered by existing legal provisions, will henceforth be covered by the functions of the labour inspectorate. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide a copy with its next report of any texts issued under the above Decree, as well as any information available on the effect given in practice to the provisions respecting the coordination and cooperation between the various services and institutions engaged in inspection functions (Article 5(a) of the Convention).

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