Notice regarding request submitted by the Russian Federation to take advantage of the special incentive arrangements concerning labour rights

(1999/C 218/02)

The Commission has received a request from the Russian Federation under Article 3 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1154/98(1) to take advantage of the special incentive arrangements concerning labour rights.

The special incentive arragements concerning labour rights offer additional preferential benefits in respect of certain industrial and agricultural products to countries which effectively implement the standards laid down by the ILO conventions relating to free trade unions and the right to collective bargaining, as well as the convention relating to minimum age for admission of employment.

The terms and conditions for the application of the special incentive arrangements provided for in Article 7 of the Regulations (EC) No 3281/94(2) and (EC) No 1256/96(3) are laid down under Title I of Regulation (EC) No 1154/98.

According to Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 1154/98 the request to take advantage of the special regime should give details of:

- the domestic legislation incorporating the substance of the standards laid down in ILO Conventions No 87 and No 98 concerning application of the principles of the right to organise and to bargain collectively and Convention No 138 concerning the minimum age of admission to employment; the full text of such legislation must be attached, together with an authentic translation into one of the Community languages,

- the measures taken to implement and monitor their legislation effectively, any sectoral limits on their application, any breaches observed and a breakdown of such breaches by production sector,

- a commitment by the government of the country in question to take full responsibility for monitoring the application of the special arrangements and the relevant administrative cooperation procedures.

On 9 June 1999, the authorities of the Russian Federation have submitted copies of their domestic legislation incorporating the aforementioned Conventions:

Principles of the right to organise:

- Constitution of the Russian Federation;

- Federal Law N 10-FZ on the trade unions, their rights and guaranties for their activity;

- Labour Code of the Russian Federation;

- Federal Law N 7-FZ of January 12, 1996 on nonprofit organisations;

- Federal Law N 82-FZ of May 19, 1995 on public associations.

Principles of the right to bargain collectively:

- Constitution of the Russian Federation;

- Federal Law N 10-FZ on the trade unions, their rights and guaranties for their activity;

- Labour Code of the Russian Federation;

- Law of the Russian Federation N 2490-1 of March 11, 1992 on collective contracts and agreements;

- Federal Law N 175-FZ of November 23, 1995 on the procedure for resolving collective labour disputes;

- Federal Law N 82-FZ of May 19, 1995 on public associations.

Minimum age of admission to employment:

- Labour Code of the Russian Federation.

The Russian Federation informed the Commission of the measures taken to implement and monitor the legislation by correspondence of 9 June 1999 (N 109). No sectoral limitations on their application nor any breaches were communicated.

By the same letter, the Government of the Russian Federation committed itself to take full responsability for monitoring the application of the special arrangements and the relevant administrative cooperation procedures.

Any observation concerning this request may be sent by any interested natural or legal person, within two months, as of the date of publication of this notice, to the following address: European Commission,

Directorate-General IB "External Relations",

Unit IB.D.3,

Office CHAR 6/157,

Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 200 , B - 1040 Brussels ; Fax (32-2) 299 10 47

(1) OJ L 160, 4.6.1998, p. 1.

(2) OJ L 348, 31.12.1994, p. 1.

(3) OJ L 160, 29.6.1996, p. 1.