Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2020, published 109th ILC session (2021)

Right of Association (Agriculture) Convention, 1921 (No. 11) - Burundi (Ratification: 1963)

The Committee notes the Government’s report, received during the first half of 2020, as well as the supplementary information provided in light of the decision adopted by the Governing Body at its 338th Session (June 2020). It also notes the observations of the Trade Union Confederation of Burundi (COSYBU), received in August 2019 and August 2020, concerning the matter addressed in the present comment, as well as the Government’s reply.

In its previous observations, the Committee had expressed the hope that the Government would make every effort to take the necessary steps, in the near future, to amend or repeal Legislative Decree No. 1/90 of 25 August 1967 on rural associations, which provides that, in the event of a public donation, the Minister of Agriculture may establish rural associations (section 1), membership of which is compulsory (section 3), and that the Minister determines their statutes (section 4), which, inter alia, oblige members to provide services for the common enterprise, pay a single or regular contribution, provide agricultural or livestock products and observe rules respecting cultural discipline and other matters (section 7), under penalty of the seizure of the member’s property (section 10). The Committee notes that the Government states in its report that the Legislative Decree is no longer taken into consideration and that it agrees that it needs to be amended or repealed. It notes the Government’s indication that steps will be taken to this effect in the near future. The Committee also notes that, in its observations, COSYBU asks the Government to accelerate the process to repeal the Legislative Decree, in consultation with the social partners. The Committee trusts that the necessary measures to amend or repeal Legislative Decree No. 1/90 of 25 August 1967 will be taken without delay and requests the Government to provide information on any developments in this respect.