GB.268/4
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FOURTH ITEM ON THE AGENDA
Review of the functioning of the Governing Body
I. Introduction
1. At its 256th Session (May 1993), the Governing Body adopted a number of reforms in its functioning. These concerned the frequency of its sessions and the schedule of its meetings, the committee structure, the procedure for the adoption of committee reports, the arrangements for determining the Conference agenda, and the role of the Officers.(1) In June 1995 the Governing Body examined whether it was necessary to review these reforms. While it decided that it would be premature to assess the reforms at the time, a number of members felt that a review would be appropriate at some stage.(2)
2. The reforms introduced in 1993 were intended to streamline the Governing Body's work, in particular by rationalizing the committee structure, removing areas of duplication and simplifying procedures and formalities, while making it easier for the Governing Body to focus on policy issues. The reforms were the outcome of discussions in a Working Party on Improvements in the Functioning of the Governing Body, which in its final report stated: "In submitting its recommendations to the Governing Body, the Working Party is fully aware that they concern a series of measures ... the validity of which can only be tested over a period of time. It is therefore possible that adjustments will have to be made."(3)
3. Experience over the last four years since the 1993 reforms seems to indicate that some adjustments are indeed required, and the purpose of this paper is to make some proposals to that effect. These proposals cover four aspects of the functioning of the Governing Body which have been identified for refinement and improvement:
4. It should be stressed that some of the proposals made merely reflect adjustments that have already been introduced as a matter of course, at least partially, and which now need to be adopted formally and applied systematically. It should also be noted that an important aspect of the Governing Body's work -- the manner in which it selects items for the Conference agenda -- is the subject of a separate paper submitted at its current session.(4)
Frequency and intensity of committee meetings
5. As part of the 1993 reforms, the committee structure was altered and the number of committees reduced from ten to six, the full session of the Governing Body in May was abolished, and meetings of the Committee on Sectoral and Technical Meetings and Related Issues (STM) and the Committee on Technical Cooperation (TC) were limited to two half-day sittings during one session a year.
6. The new committee structure has clearly stood the test of time and should be maintained. Although the abolition of the May session of the Governing Body has created some procedural problems (e.g. in relation to the adoption of the financial report and certified financial statements), these have been solved (e.g. by ad hoc meetings of the Programme, Financial and Administrative Committee during the Conference). On the other hand, the limitation on the number of meetings of the STM and the TC have proved unrealistic. From the very beginning, the STM has had to meet during both the spring and autumn sessions, if only to ensure the timely adoption of reports of sectoral meetings and of arrangements for future meetings. Although the Committee on Technical Cooperation has normally met only once a year, the scope and depth of its agenda is now greater than originally envisaged, due mainly to the momentum of the Active Partnership Policy. These are positive developments that make it essential to expand the frequency of committee meetings. It is therefore proposed that all committees meet at both yearly sessions of the Governing Body.
7. A decision to that effect, however, inevitably creates a scheduling problem, especially if account is taken of the need also to provide time for meetings of working parties (of which there has always been at least one since the time of the reforms). One way to solve this problem would be to simply expand the time allocated to committees by having some of them meeting concurrently with the Committee on Freedom of Association (i.e. the Thursday and/or Friday of the preceding week). This would however significantly increase both the cost and the inconvenience to participants, since it would involve a four-day increase in the effective length of each session (including the weekend). The alternative proposed by the Director-General is to schedule simultaneous meetings of the STM, the TC and/or the ESP, while avoiding any overlap with or between the PFA and the LILS. This requires, of course, a special effort on the part of Government members and of the groups in organizing their representation on the three committees in question. However, some overlapping has already inevitably taken place in the recent past and does not seem to have created major problems. Furthermore, in order to introduce a certain measure of flexibility and avoid extended or night sittings, which can be costly and sometimes less productive, it is proposed, whenever possible, not to schedule any meeting on the Friday afternoon of the committee week so as to allow for the finalization of unfinished business by any of the committees.
8. Attached to this paper is a tentative schedule of Governing Body meetings, reflecting the above proposals, for the four spring and autumn sessions in each biennium. These schedules reflect the existence of the current working parties and will obviously need to be adapted should either or both of the working parties be terminated and/or replaced by new ones. They are merely indicative, and would be implemented with flexibility and adapted to the specific requirements of each session.
Enhanced involvement of the Governing Body
in programme and budget orientation
9. For a long time, the only formal input by the Governing Body to the programme and budget of the ILO was its examination once every two years of the biennial proposals made by the Director-General. Until 1992 the Governing Body also examined, once every two years at the May session of non-budget years, a "Programme implementation report" prepared by the Director-General. As part of the reforms in the functioning of the Conference adopted by the Governing Body in November 1992, this report to the Governing Body was discontinued on the grounds that it duplicated the Director-General's Report on the activities of the Office submitted to the Conference.
10. In May 1987 the Governing Body adopted proposals submitted by the Director-General on the improvement of the programme budgeting process. These proposals included "early consultation" with the Programme, Financial and Administrative Committee and the Governing Body at the spring session in the first year of each biennium on the preparation of the programme and budget proposals for the following biennium. In accordance with this decision, a paper was submitted to the PFA at the Governing Body's 245th Session (February-March 1990) for the purpose of these preliminary consultations. This practice was again followed at the spring session in 1992.
11. Although the Working Party on Improvements in the Functioning of the Governing Body had not specifically examined this issue, the Governing Body itself had asked to be more involved in the process of programme orientation at an early stage. Thus, from the very beginning of the period following the 1993 reforms, at the spring session of non-budget years, in 1994 and again in 1996, the Director-General presented a paper entitled "Preliminary consultation on the programme and budget proposals" to the Governing Body itself.(5) These papers were well received by the Governing Body and the discussions thereon provided valuable guidance to the Director-General for the preparation of the programme and budget proposals for the subsequent biennium. This was followed in 1996 by an even more focused paper on "Preparation of the Programme and Budget proposals for 1998-99", discussion of which by the PFA in November 1996 has enabled the Director-General to further refine his proposals for the Programme and Budget for 1998-99, submitted at the current session.
12. This significant enhancement in the Governing Body's involvement in the process of preparation and approval of the programme and budget of the Organization, involving an examination thereof at every session, has been a very positive development. It is therefore proposed to formalize it through the adoption by the Governing Body of the following biennial calendar:
Governing Body debates on fundamental policy issues
13. One of the objectives of the 1993 reforms was to streamline the use of time in the plenary sittings of the Governing Body, partly in order to reduce its duration, but also -- and perhaps most importantly -- in order to enable the Governing Body itself to focus its attention more closely on fundamental policy issues and programme orientation. This objective has been achieved through a series of measures, including the decision not to reopen the discussion on issues adequately dealt with in committees and to delegate certain routine matters to the Officers of the Governing Body.
14. This streamlining has indeed had the effect of reducing the duration of the Governing Body plenary. Whereas before the reforms the Governing Body was scheduled to meet for four and a half days (from Monday afternoon to Friday afternoon inclusive), it is now scheduled to last three and a half days (from Tuesday afternoon to Friday afternoon, Monday being currently used for the meeting of the Working Party on the Social Dimensions of the Liberalization of International Trade). In practice, the Governing Body has in fact regularly completed its work earlier than scheduled, and has on occasion met for as little as two days (Tuesday afternoon to Thursday lunchtime).
15. On the face of it this may seem a positive development and may lead to the temptation to reduce the duration of the Governing Body formally by another day (i.e. to two and a half days). On reflection, however, this may be due to the fact that the original intention of enhancing the scope of the Governing Body by means of in-depth examinations of topical policy issues has not always been fully met. Indeed, a number of Governing Body members have complained that the focus of interest and relevance had largely shifted to the committees, leaving the Governing Body with little substance other than the adoption of the Conference agendas and the discussion on the reports of the Committee on Freedom of Association.
16. This imbalance could be redressed by ensuring, on a systematic basis, that the agenda of the Governing Body at each session contains at least one item relating to a topical issue of fundamental policy or programme orientation and/or of a potential standard-setting nature. Depending on the scope of the item, up to one day could be set aside in the middle of the Governing Body week for discussion of that item.
17. As mentioned in paragraph 12 above, at the spring session of non-budget years this day could systematically be used for the preliminary discussion on programme orientation. At one of the two autumn sessions in a biennium, the Governing Body could centre its discussion on one of the topics contained in the portfolio of potential standard-setting items that it is proposed to establish.(6) The purpose of this discussion would be to enable the Governing Body to provide the Office with detailed guidance on how to approach that item if and when it was selected for a subsequent Conference agenda. Another detailed discussion by the Governing Body at one of its sessions in each biennium could be centred around a major ILO publication, such as World Employment or the World Labour Report. In any case, the choice of the topic submitted each time to the Governing Body would be determined by the Director-General in consultation with the Officers, taking full account of the wishes voiced by the Governing Body itself.
18. Some Government members have also expressed frustration at the fact that, since many important issues are discussed in committees, they are not examined in any way in plenary at a time when heads of government delegations are present, which diminishes further the interest of the plenary. In this connection it must be recalled that the decision taken by the Governing Body as part of the 1993 reforms not to allow regular discussion in plenary on the contents of committee reports was to prevent the frequent repetition of points already made in the committees. This point remains valid, and it would be counter-productive to reopen in plenary the possibility of discussing again items that have been agreed in committees. However, in view of the fact that, because of their far-reaching implications and significant importance, some items merit examination by the Governing Body itself, this could be done selectively. For example, on the last day of the committee week, the Officers of the Governing Body, basing themselves on the substance of discussions already held in committee, could identify one or two items from any of the committees that deserve being reopened for discussion by the Governing Body.
Pace of consideration of issues submitted to working parties
19. Finally, the Director-General is concerned that, because working parties set up by the Governing Body only meet briefly twice a year in conjunction with the spring and autumn sessions of the Governing Body itself, they tend to require an inordinate length of time to complete their business. While this may not be a major problem in some cases, in others the subject-matter under consideration cannot suffer extensive delays in its treatment. Thus, for example, if the Working Party on Policy regarding the Revision of Standards were to continue meeting for one day at each session (two days a year), this slow pace might significantly detract from the usefulness of its work. One way of accelerating their work would be to allocate to them significantly more time during Governing Body sessions. This approach, however, is unrealistic, since it would encroach on the already scarce time available to the committees themselves to complete their business. The Governing Body may therefore wish to envisage the possibility of creating ad hoc working parties on important issues requiring urgent consideration, to meet intensively outside the periods of Governing Body sessions. In some cases, it might be possible, in order to contain costs, for some of these meetings to be held at or around the time of the International Labour Conference, when it may be assumed that several members of the working party concerned are in Geneva.
Conclusion
20. Subject to any other proposals the Governing Body may have for improvements in its functioning, it may wish to decide that --
(a) all committees can, as required, meet twice a year, in some cases simultaneously;
(b) the Governing Body will discuss the programme and budget of the ILO at each of its spring and autumn sessions, in line with the schedule outlined in paragraph 12 of this paper;
(c) the agenda of the Governing Body will include, at each of the spring and autumn sessions, an item on a fundamental policy issue, programme orientation or potential standard-setting topic, to be selected by the Director-General in consultation with the Officers of the Governing Body;
(d) at each session of the Governing Body, the Officers will select one or two items discussed in the committees for discussion by the Governing Body itself in plenary sitting;
(e) some issues may be discussed, outside the period of Governing Body sessions, by a working party set up for this purpose.
Geneva, 24 February 1997.
Point for decision: Paragraph 20.
2 GB.263/4/1 and GB.263/PV(Rev.), p. 7.
4 GB.268/3: The selection of future items for the agenda of the Conference.
Indicative plan of work of the Governing Body
Plan indicatif de travail du Conseil d'administration
Plan de trabajo indicativo del Consejo de Administración
Explanation of symbols -- Explication des sigles -- Explicación de las siglas
CFA |
Committee on Freedom of Association -- Comité de la liberté syndicale -- Comité de Libertad Sindical |
PFA |
Programme, Financial and Administrative Committee -- Commission du programme, du budget et de l'administration -- Comisión de Programa, Presupuesto y Administración |
PFA/BS |
Building Subcommittee -- Sous-comité du bâtiment -- Subcomisión de Construcciones |
LILS |
Committee on Legal Issues and International Labour Standards -- Commission des questions juridiques et des normes internationales du travail -- Comisión de Cuestiones Jurídicas y de Normas Internacionales del Trabajo |
MNE |
Subcommittee on Multinational Enterprises -- Sous-commission sur les entreprsies multinationales -- Sub-Comisión de Empresas Multinacionales |
LILS/WP |
Working Party on Policy regarding the Revision of Standards -- Groupe de travail sur la politique de révision des normes -- Grupo de Trabajo sobre política de revisión de normas |
ESP |
Committee on Employment and Social Policy -- Commission de l'emploi et de la politique sociale -- Comisión de Empleo y Política Social |
STM |
Committee on Sectoral and Technical Meetings and Related Issues -- Commission des réunions sectorielles et techniques et des questions connexes -- Comisión de Reuniones Sectoriales y Técnicas y Cuestiones Afines |
TC |
Committee on Technical Cooperation -- Commission sur la coopération technique -- Comisión de Cooperación Técnica |
WP/SDL |
Working Party on the Social Dimensions of the Liberalization of International Trade -- Groupe de travail sur la dimension sociale de la libéralisation du commerce international -- Grupo de Trabajo sobre las Dimensiones Sociales de la Liberalización del Comercio Internacional |
GB |
Governing Body -- Conseil d'administration -- Consejo de Administración |
Gs |
Group meetings -- réunions des groupes -- reuniones de los grupos |
PB |
Consideration of programme and budget questions -- Examen des questions concernant le programme et le budget -- Discusión de cuestiones de programa y presupuesto |
FQ |
Financial questions -- Questions financières -- Cuestiones financieras |
PQ |
Personnel questions -- Questions de personnel -- Cuestiones de personal |
A |
Adoption of reports -- Adoption des rapports -- Adopción de informes |
AQ |
Meeting of Government members of the Programme, Financial and Administrative Committee on allocations questions -- Réunion des membres gouvernementaux de la Commission du programme, du budget, et de l'administration sur les question de répartition des contributions -- Reunión de los miembros gubernamentales de la Comisión de Programa, Presupuesto y Administración sobre cuestiones de prorrateo de contribuciones |
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If necessary -- si nécessaire -- de ser necesario |
Governing Body -- Conseil d'administration -- Consejo de Administración
Indicative plan of work -- Plan indicatif de travail -- Plan de trabajo indicativo
Spring session -- Session de printemps -- Reunión de primavera
(Non-budgetary years -- Années non budgétaires -- Años no presupuestarios)
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* In the year 2000 it will be necessary also to accommodate two sittings of the Subcommittee on Multinational Enterprises (MNE). If the LILS Working Party on Policy regarding the Revision of Standards no longer exists, then the MNE can meet in its place in the above table.
* En l'an 2000, il sera nécessaire de prévoir deux séances de la Sous-commission sur les entreprises multinationales (MNE). Si le Groupe de travail sur la politique de révision des normes n'existe plus, la MNE pourra se réunir à sa place dans le tableau ci-dessus.
* En el año 2000 será necesario prever dos reuniones de la Subcomisión de Empresas Multinacionales (MNE). Si el Grupo de Trabajo sobre política de revisión de normas ya no existiera, la MNE podrá reunirse en su lugar.
Governing Body -- Conseil d'administration -- Consejo de Administración
Indicative plan of work -- Plan indicatif de travail -- Plan de trabajo indicativo
Autumn session -- Session d'automne -- Reunión de otoño
(Non-budgetary years -- Années non budgétaires -- Años no presupuestarios)
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PB: |
Programme, Financial and Administrative Committee: Preparation of the programme and budget proposals
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Governing Body -- Conseil d'administration -- Consejo de Administración
Indicative plan of work -- Plan indicatif de travail -- Plan de trabajo indicativo
Spring session -- Session de printemps -- Reunión de primavera
(Budgetary years -- Années budgétaires -- Años presupuestarios)
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Governing Body -- Conseil d'administration -- Consejo de Administración
Indicative plan of work -- Plan indicatif de travail -- Plan de trabajo indicativo
Autumn session -- Session d'automne -- Reunión de otoño
(Budgetary years -- Années budgétaires -- Años presupuestarios)
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STM |
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TC |
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INST |
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WP/SDL |
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GB |
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Gs |
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P |
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*If the PFA requires an extra half sitting, then the LILS will have to begin its sittings half a day later.
*Si la PFA a besoin d'une demi-journée de plus, les réunions de la LILS devront commencer une demi-journée plus tard.
* Si la PFA necesita un medio día más, las reuniones de la LILS podrán iniciarse un medio día más tarde.