Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2012, published 102nd ILC session (2013)

Workmen's Compensation (Occupational Diseases) Convention, 1925 (No. 18) - Tunisia (Ratification: 1959)

In its previous comments, the Committee had observed that the schedule of occupational diseases established under Act No. 94-28 of 21 February 1994 contains a restrictive list of the pathological factors associated with toxic substances such as lead and mercury, whereas the Convention is intentionally couched in very general terms so as to cover all possible pathological factors, including any that might be atypical or new. In its report for 2011, the Government indicates that, in order to offset the limitative nature of the list and to incorporate all atypical and new pathological factors associated with the agents designated in the tables of occupational diseases, section 3 of the aforementioned Act provides for a periodic review of the tables at least once every three years. In practice, the list has been revised on three occasions since 1995 – in 1999, 2003 and 2007 – and a new decree was scheduled for adoption in 2011. The revisions take into account the latest scientific advances and the cases of newly recognized occupational diseases. The Committee takes note of this information and requests the Government to send a copy of the 2011 revised List of Occupational Diseases together with information regarding the procedure for recognizing the occupational origin of a disease that is not included in the schedule of occupational diseases, including details on how the burden of proof is regulated.