Recommendations are not open to ratification, but give guidance as to policy, legislation and practice. Both kinds of instrument are adopted by the International Labour Conference, and article 19 of the Constitution provides:
1. When the Conference has decided on the adoption of proposals with regard to an item
on the agenda, it will rest with the Conference to determine whether these proposals should take
the form: (a) of an international Convention, or (b) of a Recommendation to meet circumstances
where the subject, or aspect of it, dealt with is not considered suitable or appropriate at that time
for a Convention.
2. In either case a majority of two-thirds of the votes cast by the delegates present shall be
necessary on the final vote for the adoption of the Convention or Recommendation, as the case
may be, by the Conference.
Recommendations can also be autonomous, i.e., not linked to a Convention.
