88TH SESSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CONFERENCE

88^TH SESSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CONFERENCE

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Social Policy Lawrence Gonzi will leave Malta tomorrow to join the Maltese delegation currently attending the 88^th Session of the International Labour Conference being held in Geneva.

Besides the presentation of the Annual Report by the Director General of the ILO, the Conference will also consider a global report on the follow-up to the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights of Work. Items to be discussed also include a revision of the Maternity Protection Convention, a discussion on Human Resources Training and Development and another discussion on safety and health in agriculture.

The Constitution of the ILO provides that each delegation to a session of the International Labour Conference shall be composed of four delegates with a right to vote; namely two delegated representing Government, on delegate representing the employers and one delegate representing the workers. It has been the practice throughout the years that the Maltese delegation consists of two delegates representing the Government, two delegates representing the workers and two delegates representing the employers. This fulfils the obligation that the Member States are obliged to send tripartite delegations whose members are able to act in full independence of one another and to be able to participate freely in discussions.

Minister Gonzi is expected to participate in a meeting of Ministers of Labour and Social Affairs of the EU Associated Countries to discuss ILO assistance to the accession process and the implementation of the EU Employment Policy. Furthermore, the Maltese delegation will be signing an agreement of co-operation between Malta and the ILO regarding the EU accession process. Minister Gonzi is expected to address the Plenary Session on Friday.

The Social Policy Minister is being accompanied by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry for Social Policy, Mr. Joe Ebejer, and by Mr. Remigio Bartolo, his Private Secretary. He will be returning to Malta on Saturday.