General Surveys: Reports by Theme

Based on the arrangements approved by the Governing Body in March 1948, "the CEACR first examined reports on unratified Conventions in 1950. Its first examination, highlighted relevant information on national law and practice concerning the selected instruments, including the ratification situation and divergences in interpretation. In view of the limited number of reports received and the uneven information provided, between 1950 and 1953 the CEACR and the CAS proposed a reduction in the number of instruments and a simplification in the forms to secure better information from governments". 

In particular "they suggested grouping Conventions and Recommendations by subject matter and that the subjects chosen be of current interest so that the reports could be used by the Office, Governing Body and Conference (...) They repeated recommended selecting fewer instruments. The number of instruments selected was 12 for 1950 and 8 for 1951".

"The examination of reports on unratified Conventions and on Recommendations was strengthened in 1955 and 1956. In November 1955, with a view to reinforcing the work of the CAS, the Governing Body approved a proposal (...) that the CEACR should undertake in addition to a technical examination on the application of Conventions, a study of general matters, such as positions on the application of certain Conventions and Recommendations by all governments. Such studies, now known as "general surveys", were intended to cover the Conventions and Recommendations for the submission of reports under article 19 of the Constitution. The CEACR carried out this examination in 1956 and, as from that year, the CAS has consistently discussed the general surveys of the CEACR".