Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Forty- fifth sessionGeneva, 1-19 November 2010
Provisional agenda and annotations
Note by the Secretary‑General
The forty-fifth session of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, established in accordance with Economic and Social Council resolution 1985/17, will be held at the United Nations Office at Geneva (Palais Wilson) from 1 to 19 November 2010. The first meeting will be convened on Monday, 1 November 2010 at 10 a.m.
The attached provisional agenda and annotations for the forty-fifth session of the Committee have been prepared by the Secretary-General in accordance with rule 4 of the rules of procedure of the Committee.
The attention of States parties is drawn, in particular, to the annotations to item 6 containing the list of reports that will be before the Committee at its forty-fifth and future sessions.
Provisional agenda
Adoption of the agenda.
Organization of work.
Substantive issues arising in the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Follow-up to the consideration of reports under articles 16 and 17 of the Covenant.
Relations with United Nations organs and other treaty bodies.
Consideration of reports:
(a)Reports submitted by States parties in accordance with articles 16 and 17 of the Covenant;
(b)Reports submitted by specialized agencies in accordance with article 18 of the Covenant.
Meeting with States parties
Submission of reports by States parties in accordance with articles 16 and 17 of the Covenant.
Formulation of suggestions and recommendations of a general nature based on the consideration of reports submitted by States parties to the Covenant and by the specialized agencies.
Adoption of the annual report
Miscellaneous matters.
Annotations
1. Adoption of the agenda
Under rule 5 of the Committee’s rules of procedure, the first item on the agenda of any session shall be the adoption of the agenda. In accordance with rule 6, the Committee may revise the agenda during a session and may, as appropriate, add, delete or defer items.
2. Organization of work
In accordance with rule 8 of its rules of procedure, at the beginning of each session, the Committee shall consider appropriate organizational matters, including the schedule of its meetings. In this connection, attention is drawn to the draft programme of work for the session set out in the present document, which was prepared by the Secretary-General in consultation with the Chairperson of the Committee in accordance with established practice.
3. Substantive issues arising in the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
In accordance with rule 65 of its rules of procedure, the Committee may prepare general comments based on the various articles and provisions of the Covenant with a view to assisting States parties in fulfilling their reporting obligations. The Committee decided at its fourteenth session (28 April-17 May 1996) that as from its fifteenth session its discussions relating to the implementation of the Covenant (days of general discussion, consideration and adoption of general comments, methods of work, NGO submissions, etc.) would be conducted under this agenda item. At the present session, the Committee will hold a day of general discussion on the draft general comment on sexual and reproductive health rights on 15 November. In addition, the Committee will also consider a statement on the corporate sector and human rights and a statement on sanitation.
During the session, the Committee will also discuss the draft rules of procedure regarding the Optional Protocol to the Covenant and other methods of work.
4. Follow-up to the consideration of reports under articles 16 and 17 of the Covenant
At its fourteenth session, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, recognizing the importance of periodically reviewing the implementation by States parties of its suggestions and recommendations, requested the secretariat to submit to it, as from the fifteenth session, a document indicating all cases where a follow-up had been suggested by the Committee. In this connection, the attention of the members of the Committee is drawn to document E/C.12/2007/2 which contains the requested information.
5. Relations with United Nations organs and other treaty bodies
The Committee decided at its sixth session to nominate individual members to follow the work of each of the other treaty bodies. Such members are to follow as closely as possible the work of the relevant committees, to liaise where possible with members of those committees and to present an oral report on developments of both a procedural and substantive nature in their work which appeared to be of specific relevance to the work of the Committee (E/1992/23, paras. 371-373).
Under this agenda item, the Committee will consider matters emanating from the lmost recent Inter-Committee Meeting (ICM) and the meeting of Chairpersons and discuss issues to be raised at the next meetings scheduled to take place as follows: A Working Group of the Inter-Committee Meeting, from 12-14 January 2011, the Inter-Committee Meeting from 27 to 29 June 2011, and the meeting of Chairpersons from 30 June to 1 July 2011. The reports of the previous meeting of Chairpersons/ICM, as well as any intersessional meetings, will be available to Committee members.
6. Consideration of reports
(a) Reports submitted by States parties in accordance with articles 16 and 17 of the Covenant
In accordance with rule 61, paragraph 2, of its rules of procedure, the Committee shall normally consider the reports submitted by States parties under article 16 of the Covenant in the order in which they have been received by the Secretary-General. Representatives of the reporting States are entitled to be present at the meetings of the Committee when their reports are examined; such representatives should be able to make statements on the reports submitted by their Governments and reply to questions which may be put to them by the members of the Committee.
In accordance with rule 62, paragraph 2, of the Committee’s rules of procedure, the Secretary-General, in notes verbales dated 1 June 2010 informed the States parties concerned of the opening date and duration of the forty-fifth session of the Committee, and invited them to send representatives to attend the meetings of the Committee at which their reports would be considered. Following consultations with the Permanent Missions of the States parties concerned about the dates at which their respective reports would be examined, a tentative timetable for consideration of those reports was prepared by the Secretary‑General in consultation with the Chairperson of the Committee.
As at 19 August 2010, 46 reports from 43 States parties as listed below had been received by the Secretary‑General and were pending consideration by the Committee. The reports of the States parties which are scheduled for consideration at the forty-fifth (November 2010), forty-sixth (May 2011) and forty-seventh (November 2011) sessions of the Committee are identified in the last columns of the tables that follow. The reports indicated to be scheduled for consideration at sessions of the Committee further in the future are the next five reports received by the Committee, according to chronological order of receipt. Their scheduling for consideration by the Committee at its forty-fifth and future sessions is subject to approval by the Committee.
The following tables do not include States parties that were requested to submit reports by a specific deadline, failing which the Committee would proceed to examine the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights in their territories in the absence of a report.
|
Initial reports |
Symbol |
Date received |
Date due |
Scheduled for consideration at |
|
1. Djibouti (Initial and second reports) |
E/C.12/DJI/1-2 |
21 July 2010 |
30 June 2009 |
|
|
2. Ethiopia (initial to third periodic reports) |
E/C.12/ETH/1-3 |
28 July 2009 |
30 June 1995 30 June 2000 30 June 2005 30 June 2010 |
|
|
3. Mauritania |
E/C.12/MRT/1 |
20 Aug. 2009 |
30 June 2007 |
|
|
4. Peru (initial to third periodic reports) |
E/C.12/PER/1-3 |
26 May 2009 |
30 June 1995 30 June 2000 30 June 2005 |
|
|
5. Togo |
E/C.12/TGO/1 |
26 Jan. 2010 |
30 June 1990 30 June 1995 30 June 2000 30 June 2005 |
|
|
6. Turkey |
E/C.12/TUR/1 |
25 June 2008 |
30 June 200530 June 2010 |
46th session, May 2011 |
|
7. Turkmenistan |
E/C.12/TKM/1 |
3 Mar 2009 |
30 June 200530 June 2010 |
47th session November 2011 |
|
8. United Republic of Tanzania (initial to third report) |
E/C.12/TZA/1-3 |
25 Aug. 2009 |
30 June 1990 30 June 1995 30 June 2000 30 June 2005 |
|
Second periodic reports |
Symbol |
Date received |
Date due |
Scheduled for consideration at |
|
9. Albania (Second and third periodic reports) |
E/C.12/ALB/2-3 |
9 Apr 2010 |
30.June 2009 30 June 2014 |
|
|
10. Belgium |
E/C.12/BEL/4 |
9 Jul 2010 |
30 June 2010 |
|
|
11. Cameroon (Second and third periodic reports) |
E/C.12/CMR/2-3 |
26 Nov. 2008 |
30 June 2001 30 June 2006 30.June 2011 |
47th session November 2011 |
|
12. China (Second report) and Hong Kong (Third report) and Macau (Second report) |
E/C.12/CHN/2 E/C.12/CHN/3/ Add.1 E/C.12/CHN/2/ Add.1 |
30 June 2010 30 June 2010 30 June 2010 |
30 June 2010 30 June 2015 |
|
|
13. Egypt (Second to fourth periodic reports) |
E/C.12/EGY/2-4 |
11 May 2010 |
30 June 1995 30 June 2000 30 June 2005 |
|
|
14.Islamic Republic of Iran |
E/C.12/IRN/2 |
3 Nov. 2009 |
30 June 199530 June 2000 30 June 2005 |
|
|
15. Kuwait |
E/C.12/KWT/2 |
31 Mar 2010 |
||
|
16. Lithuania |
E/C.12/LTU/2 |
1 Feb 2010 |
30 June 2009 |
|
|
17. Republic of Moldova |
E/C.12/MDA/2 |
5 Sep 2008 |
30 June 200830 June 2013 |
46th session, May 2011 |
|
18. Rwanda (second to fourth periodic reports) |
E/C.12/RWA/2-4 |
20 Jan 2010 |
30 June 199030 June 1995 30 June 200030 June 2005 |
|
|
19. Slovakia |
E/C.12/SVK/2 |
25 June 2009 |
30 June 07 |
|
|
20. Sri Lanka (second to fourth periodic reports) |
E/C.12/LKA/2-4 |
9 June 2008 |
30 June 199530 June 2010 |
45th session, November 2010 |
|
21. Switzerland (second and third periodic reports) |
E/C.12/CHE/2-3 |
14 May 2008 |
30 June 1999 30 June 2009 |
45th session, November 2010 |
|
22. Uzbekistan |
E/C.12/UZB/2 |
2 July 2010 |
30 June 2010 30 June 2015 |
|
|
23. Yemen |
E/C.12/YEM/2 |
3 July 2008 |
30 June 200830 June 2013 |
46th session, May 2011 |
|
Third periodic reports |
Symbol |
Date received |
Date due |
Scheduled for consideration at |
|
24. Argentina |
E/C.12/ARG/3 |
6 May 2009 |
30 June 200130 June 2006 |
47th session November 2011 |
|
25. Azerbaijan |
E/C.12/AZE/3 |
29 Sep 2009 |
30 June 2009 |
|
|
26. Dominican Republic |
E/C.12/DOM/3 |
22 Aug. 2008 |
30 June 199930 June 2009 |
45th session, November 2010 |
|
27. Ecuador |
E/C.12/ECU/3 |
8 Sep 2009 |
30 June 2009 |
|
|
28. Estonia |
E/C.12/EST/3 |
31 Oct. 2008 |
30 June 2007 |
47th session November 2011 |
|
29. Israel |
E/C.12/ISR/3 |
20 Jan. 2009 |
30 June 2008 |
47th session November 2011 |
|
30. Japan |
E/C.12/JPN/3 |
22 Dec 2009 |
30 June 2006 |
|
|
31. Jamaica (third and fourth periodic reports) |
E/C.12/JAM/3-4 |
6 Jan. 2010 |
30 June 200330 June 2008 |
|
|
32. New Zealand |
E/C.12/NZL/3 |
15 May 2009 |
30 June 2008 |
|
|
33. Uruguay (third and fourth periodic reports) |
E/C.12/URY/3-4 |
1 Apr 2008 |
30 June 200030 June 2010 |
45th session, November 2010 |
|
Fourth periodic reports |
Symbol |
Date received |
Date due |
Scheduled for consideration at |
|
34. Belgium |
E/C.12/BEL/4 |
9 July 2010 |
30 June 2010 30 June 2015 |
|
|
35.Bulgaria (fourth and fifth report) |
E/C.12/BGR/4-5 |
31 July 2009 |
30 June 1999 30 June 2004 30 June 2013 |
|
|
36.Iceland |
E/C.12/ISL/4 |
19 Jan. 2010 |
30 June 2008 |
|
|
37. Netherlands (fourth and fifth reports) and Netherlands Antilles (fourth report) |
E/C.12/NLD/4-5 E/C.12/NLD/4/Add.1 |
9 April 2008 and 16 Dec. 2008 |
30 June 200730 June 2012 |
45th session, November 2010 |
|
Fifth periodic reports |
Symbol |
Date received |
Date due |
Scheduled for consideration at |
|
38. Colombia |
E/C.12/COL/5 |
22 Jan. 2008 |
30 June 2006 30 June 2011 |
44th session, May 2010 |
|
39. Denmark |
E/C.12/DNK/5 |
25 Jan. 2010 |
30 June 2009 |
|
|
40. Germany |
E/C.12/DEU/5 |
16 Sept. 2008 |
30 June 2006 |
46th session, May 2011 |
|
41. Norway |
E/C.12/NOR/5 |
28 June 2010 |
30 June 2010 30 June 2015 |
|
|
42. Russian Federation |
E/C.12/RUS/5 |
30 June 2008 |
30 June 200830 June 2013 |
46th session, May 2011 |
|
43. Spain |
E/C.12/ESP/5 |
30 June 2010 |
30 June 2009 |
(b) Reports submitted by specialized agencies in accordance with article 18 of the Covenant
In accordance with rule 67 of its rules of procedure, the Committee is entrusted with the task of considering the reports submitted by specialized agencies pursuant to article 18 of the Covenant.
In accordance with rule 68 of the rules of procedure, the representatives of the specialized agencies concerned may make statements on matters falling within the scope of the activities of their respective organization in the course of the discussion by the Committee of the report of each State party to the Covenant. The representatives of the States parties presenting reports to the Committee shall be free to respond to, or take into account, the statements made by the specialized agencies. The Secretary-General has invited the following specialized agencies, United Nations organs and financial institutions to send representatives to attend the meetings of the Committee: International Labour Organization (ILO), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), World Health Organization (WHO), Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank and World Trade Organization (WTO).
Any report which may be received from the specialized agencies under article 18 of the Covenant will be made available to the Committee in due course.
7. Meeting with States parties
In accordance with the established practice of the Committee of meeting regularly with representatives of States parties to engage in discussion on matters relating to the implementation of the Covenant, the Committee will reserve half a day for a meeting with States parties. The meeting is tentatively set for 11 November.
8. Submission of reports by States parties in accordance with articles 16 and 17 of the Covenant
In accordance with rule 59, paragraph 1, of its rules of procedure, the Committee shall at each session consider the status of submission of reports under articles 16 and 17 of the Covenant and may make appropriate recommendations to the Council, including recommendations to the effect that the Secretary-General should send reminders to States parties from which reports have not been received. The Committee will have before it under this item the following document:
Note by the Secretary-General on the States parties to the Covenant and the status of submission of reports (E/C.12/45/2).
9. Formulation of suggestions and recommendations of a general nature based on the consideration of reports submitted by States parties to the Covenant and by the specialized agencies
Pursuant to rule 64 of its rules of procedure, the Committee may wish to make suggestions and recommendations of a general nature on the basis of its consideration of reports submitted by States parties and the reports submitted by specialized agencies, in order to assist the Council to fulfil, in particular, its responsibilities under articles 21 and 22 of the Covenant. The Committee may also wish to make suggestions for consideration by the Council with reference to articles 19, 22 and 23 of the Covenant.
10. Adoption of the annual report
The Committee will review and adopt the annual report on its forty-fourth (3-21 May 2010) and forty-fifth (1-19 November) sessions, for submission to the Economic and Social Council.
11. Miscellaneous matters
At its twenty-first session (1999), the Committee decided to include in its agenda a standing item, “miscellaneous matters”, under which it may consider any issue falling outside the scope of other standing agenda items.
Tentative programme of the forty-fifth session of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1-19 November 2010)
First week: 1-5 November 2010
|
Monday, 1 November |
||||
|
29th meeting |
(public) |
Item 1 |
Adoption of the agenda |
|
|
(private) |
Item 2 |
Organization of work |
||
|
(private) |
Item 8 Item 11 |
Submission of reports by States parties in accordance with articles 16 and 17 of the Covenant Miscellaneous matters |
||
|
(private) |
Item 3 |
Substantive issues arising in the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: Statements on (1) sanitation and (2) corporate sector and human rights |
||
|
30th meeting |
(private) |
Item 5 |
Relations with United Nations organs and other treaty bodies |
|
|
(public) |
Item 3 |
Substantive issues arising in the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: NGO submissions |
||
|
Tuesday, 2 November |
||||
|
31st meeting |
(public) |
Item 6 |
Consideration of reports: Uruguay |
|
|
32nd meeting |
(public) |
Item 6 |
Consideration of reports: Uruguay (continued) |
|
|
Wednesday, 3 November |
||||
|
33rd meeting |
(public) |
Item 6 |
Consideration of reports: Uruguay (continued) |
|
|
34th meeting |
(public) |
Item 6 |
Consideration of reports: Dominican Republic |
|
|
Thursday, 4 November |
||||
|
35th meeting |
(public) |
Item 6 |
Consideration of reports: Dominican Republic (continued) |
|
|
36th meeting |
(public) |
Item 6 |
Consideration of reports: Dominican Republic (continued) |
|
|
Friday, 5 November |
||||
|
37th meeting |
(public) |
Item 6 |
Consideration of reports: Switzerland |
|
|
38th meeting |
(public) |
Item 6 |
Consideration of reports: Switzerland |
|
|
Second week: 8-12 November 2010 |
||||
|
Monday, 8 November |
||||
|
39th meeting |
(public) |
Item 6 |
Consideration of reports: Switzerland |
|
|
40th meeting |
(public) |
Item 6 |
Consideration of reports: Sri Lanka |
|
|
Tuesday, 9 November |
||||
|
41st meeting |
(public) |
Item 6 |
Consideration of reports: Sri Lanka (continued) |
|
|
42nd meeting |
(public) |
Item 6 |
Consideration of reports: Sri Lanka (continued) |
|
|
Wednesday, 10 November |
||||
|
43rd meeting |
(public) |
Item 6 |
Consideration of reports: Netherlands and Netherlands Antilles |
|
|
44th meeting |
(public) |
Item 6 |
Consideration of reports: Netherlands and Netherlands Antilles ( continued) |
|
|
Thursday, 11 November |
||||
|
45th meeting |
(public) |
Item 6 |
Consideration of reports: Netherlands and Netherlands Antilles ( continued) |
|
|
46th meeting |
(private) |
Item 7 |
Meeting with States parties |
|
|
Friday, 12 November |
||||
|
47th meeting |
(private) |
Item 3 |
Substantive issues arising in the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: Draft Rules of Procedures, Optional protocol to ICESCR |
|
|
48th meeting |
(private) |
Item 3 |
Substantive issues arising in the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: Draft Rules of Procedures, Optional protocol to ICESCR |
Third week: 15-19 November 2010
|
Monday, 15 November |
|||
|
49th meeting |
(public) |
Item 3 |
Substantive issues arising in the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: Day of General Discussion: Draft GC on Reproductive and Sexual Health |
|
50th meeting |
(public) |
Item 3 |
Substantive issues arising in the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: Day of General Discussion: Draft general comment on Reproductive and Sexual Health |
|
Tuesday, 16 November |
|||
|
51st meeting |
(private) |
Item 3 |
Substantive issues arising in the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: Statements on (1) sanitation and (2) business and human rights |
|
(private) |
Item 6 |
Consideration of reports: Adoption of concluding observations |
|
|
52nd meeting |
(private) |
Item 6 |
Consideration of reports: Adoption of concluding observations |
|
Wednesday, 17 November |
Official holiday |
||
|
Thursday, 18 November |
|||
|
53rd meeting |
(private) |
Item 6 |
Consideration of reports: Adoption of concluding observations |
|
54th meeting |
(private) |
Item 10 Item 6 |
Adoption of the annual report Consideration of reports: Adoption of concluding observations |
|
Friday, 19 November |
|||
|
55th meeting |
(private) |
Item 6 |
Consideration of reports: Adoption of concluding observations |
|
Item 3 |
Substantive issues arising in the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: Methods of Work |
||
|
Item 4 |
Follow-up to the consideration of reports under articles 16 and 17 of the Covenant |
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|
Item 9 |
Formulation of suggestions and general recommendations |
||
|
Item 11 |
Miscellaneous matters |
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|
(public) |
Close of session |