Monitoring compliance with international labour standards: The key role of the ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations

Centenary Edition 2019

This publication follows a request made by the members of the Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations in 2018 to contribute to the ILO Centenary year through a study highlighting the achievements and successes in the implementation of ratified Conventions by ILO member States recorded by the Committee in the past few decades.

The first part of the study provides a historical perspective and outlines the origins and composition of the Committee of Experts. It pays special attention to the close relationship between the Conference Committee on the Application of Standards and the Committee of Experts and the way the respective functions of the two bodies have evolved over the years. It also provides useful insights on the general methodology used by the Committee of Experts as well as on recent discussions regarding the Committee’s mandate.

The second part of the study proposes a selection of 18 cases, for which significant progress has been noticed in the implementation of ratified ILO Conventions, following comments formulated by the Committee of Experts, often in conjunction with other ILO or UN bodies.