Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2023, published 112nd ILC session (2024)

Labour Statistics Convention, 1985 (No. 160) - Costa Rica (Ratification: 2001)

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The Committee notes the observations of the Costa Rican Federation of Chambers and Associations of Private Enterprise (UCCAEP), communicated with the Government’s report.

Article 3 of the Convention. Consultation of the social partners. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the National Statistical Advisory Council (INEC) is a consultative body for the users of statistics and is composed of representatives of the public sector, employers, unions, and social, economic and academic institutions. The Government reports that, according to the minutes of the INEC meetings held between July 2012 and December 2017, the INEC did not address issues related to this Convention. The Government adds that the INEC is not functioning due to difficulties encountered in its constitution, but it is expected that it will be reconvened. In this regard, the Committee expresses the hope that theNational Statistical Advisory Council (INEC) will be reactivated and that tripartite consultations will be held on the subjects covered by the Convention. It reiterates its requests that the Government provide information on the content and the outcome of such consultations.

Articles 7 and 8.Scope of the basic labour statistics compiled. The Committee notes that statistics pertaining to these articles of the Convention are collected through the National Household Survey (ENAHO), and the Continuous Employment Survey (ECE) with the latest data available for 2022 at ILOSTAT. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government concerning statistics of underemployment, which are generated with the ECE providing quarterly results which are regularly published on the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC)’s website. As for the implementation of the Resolution concerning statistics of work, employment and labour underutilization (Resolution I), adopted by the 19th International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS) (October 2013), the Government indicates that the required information is published by the INEC. The Committee notes, however, that some elements deviate from the international recommendations. In particular, regarding the measurement of unemployment, Costa Rica’s measurement extends to people who did not actively search for employment. The Government further indicates that many recommendations of the above ICLS Resolution had already been applied since the Household Survey Improvement Program (which ended in 2009), while other recommendations are in the process of being adopted within the framework of the Integrated Household Survey System Project. It adds that the implementation of the designed questionnaire is estimated for 2026, depending on the availability of budgetary resources. In view of the above, the Committee requests the Government to take the necessary steps to align its definition to the one adopted by the ICLS Resolution concerning statistics of work, employment and labour underutilization (2013) (Resolution I) and to provide information on any progress made in this regard.It also invites the Government to provide information on the effect given to the implementation of the Resolution concerning statistics on work relationships adopted by the 20th ICLS (2018) and the Resolution concerning statistics of the informal economy adopted by the 21st ICLS (2023).

Article 11. Statistics of labour cost. While noting that the Government has not provided statistical information on labour cost, the Committee requests the Government to indicate if this data is compiled at all and, if so, to submit the relevant statistics with the underlying methodology in its next report.

Article 14. Occupational injuries and diseases. The Committee notes that the Government indicates that the Occupational Health Council (CSO) collects and publishes information on occupational health statistics on its website. Since 2016, the CSO has annually presented the most important data on occupational accident statistics sent by the National Insurance Institute to the General Insurance Superintendency (SUGESE). These reports then complemented with information from other labour market data sources. The Committee notes with interest the information provided by the Government, including the relevant data with detailed methodological information. The Committee notes that, in its observations, the UCCAEP expresses its agreement with the proposed report. The Committee notes, however, that the most recent data on occupational injuries received by the Office through the annual questionnaire of the Department of Statistics are for 2016. The Committee therefore requests the Government to provide this information from 2016 for all years missing and to regularly submit this information to the ILO through the annual questionnaire of the ILO Department of Statistic, especially in view of the inclusion of “safe and healthy working environment” as a fundamental principle and right at work by the ILC under paragraph 2 of the ILO 1998 Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work at its 110th Session in June 2022.