Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2015, published 105th ILC session (2016)

Labour Inspection (Agriculture) Convention, 1969 (No. 129) - Croatia (Ratification: 1991)

The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that the next report will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous comments.

Repetition

Article 5 of the Convention. Coverage of the Convention. The Committee asks the Government to indicate whether it is envisaged to give effect to the provisions of the Convention in respect of tenants who do not engage outside help, sharecroppers and similar categories of agricultural workers; persons participating in a collective economic enterprise, such as members of a cooperative; or members of the family of the operator of the undertaking, as defined by national laws or regulations.

Article 9. Training of labour inspectors in agriculture. The Committee notes that according to the Government, the mentoring and state examination process for newly admitted civil servants covers legislation on the protection of workers from risks related to the exposure of chemical substances at work. It further notes the information provided in the Government’s report under Convention No. 81, that in the framework of the project “IPA 2007 – Health and Safety at Work”, labour inspectors in the area of occupational safety and health participated in trainings in the framework of the project “Chemical safety and strengthening of the legal framework and institutional infrastructure for the protection from dangerous chemical substances”, which was provided by experts from Sweden, Italy, Austria, Slovakia and Greece. The Committee also notes that the Government refers to trainings in the regional units of the labour inspection services, but does not provide information on training in areas specifically related to agriculture. The Committee invites the Government to provide information on the frequency and content of training courses for labour inspectors, and the number of participants in such courses in areas particularly related to agriculture, and the impact of these training activities on the operation of the labour inspection system.

Article 15(1)(b). Transport facilities. The Committee notes the information in the Government’s report, according to which, in the framework of the project “IPA 2007 – Health and Safety at Work”, 35 vehicles were purchased for the labour inspection services. It notes however from the information provided under Convention No. 81, that the number of official vehicles at the disposal of the labour inspectorate was 127 at the end of 2011, whereas, according to information provided by the Government in its last report, the number of vehicles at the disposal of the labour inspectorate (158 at the end of 2009), which was already considered insufficient. The Committee asks the Government to provide clarifications as to the number of official vehicles at the disposal of the inspectorate and to continue to provide information on the measures taken or envisaged in order to improve the mobility of labour inspectors. Noting that the Government has not provided any information in this regard, it once again asks it to indicate the arrangements made to reimburse to inspectors any travelling and incidental expenses which they may incur in the performance of their duties.

Articles 12(2) and 17. Preventive control in association with other public bodies or approved institutions. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government according to which the preventive control of plants, materials or substances that may be hazardous for health or safety is assumed by the Agricultural and Phytosanitary Inspection at the Ministry of Agriculture, which performs the supervision of plants, plant products and other supervised objects in the implementation of regulations in the field of plant health. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on any type of cooperation between the labour inspection services and the Agricultural and Phytosanitary Inspection.

Articles 26 and 27 of the Convention. Reporting on the system of labour inspection in agriculture. The Committee previously noted that the implementation of an electronic register (e-register) will enable the labour inspectorate to prepare and send to the Office an annual report with data on inspections broken down by economic activity, including in agriculture, forestry and fisheries. The Committee notes that, while statistics on industrial accidents are provided for this sector in the annual report for 2011, which is available on the website of the labour inspectorate, separate information is not yet provided on other subjects as required under Article 27 of the Convention (including the number of inspection visits in agriculture, the statistics of agricultural undertakings liable to inspection and the number of persons working therein, the violations and penalties imposed as a result of inspection visits, etc.). The Committee asks the Government to keep the Office informed of further progress made in this regard.