Application of the convention Ar ticle 72

PART VII Application of the convention Ar ticle 72

1. (a) For t he purpose of r eview ing t he applicat ion of t he pr esent Convent ion, t her e shall be est ablished a Commi t t ee on t he Pr ot ect ion of t he Rights of All Migr ant Wor ker s and Member s of Their Families (her einaft er r efer r ed t o as "t he Commit t ee");

(b) The Commit t ee shall consist , at t he t ime of ent r y int o for ce of t he pr esent Convent ion, of t en and, aft er t he ent r y int o for ce of t he Convent ion for t he for t y-first St at e Par t y, of four t een exper t s of high mor al st anding, impar tialit y and r ecognized compet ence in t he field cover ed by t he Convent ion.

2. (a) Member s of t he Committ ee shall be elect ed by secret ballot by t he St at es Par t ies fr om a list of per sons nominat ed by t he St at es Par t ies, due consider at ion being given to equit able geogr aphical dist r ibution, including bot h St at es of or igin and St at es of employment , and t o t he r epr esent at ion of the pr incipal legal syst ems. Each St at e Par t y may nominat e one per son fr om among it s ow n nat ionals;

(b) Member s shall be elect ed and shall ser ve in t heir per sonal capacit y.

3. The init ial elect ion shall be held no lat er t han six mont hs aft er t he dat e of t he ent r y int o for ce of t he pr esent Convent ion and subsequent elect ions ever y second year . At least four mont hs befor e t he dat e of each elect ion, t he Secr et ar y-Gener al of t he Unit ed Nat ions shall addr ess a let t er t o all St at es Par t ies invit ing t hem t o submit t heir nominat ions w it hin t w o mont hs. The Secr et ar y-Gener al shall pr epar e a list in alphabet ical or der of all per sons t hus nominat ed, indicat ing t he St at es Par t ies t hat have nominat ed t hem, and shall submit it t o t he St at es Par t ies not lat er t han one mont h befor e t he dat e of t he cor r esponding elect ion, t oget her w it h t he cur r icula vit ae of t he per sons t hus nominat ed.

4. Elect ions of member s of t he Commit t ee shall be held at a meet ing of St at es Par ties convened by t he Secr et ar y-Gener al at Unit ed Nat ions Headquar t er s. At t hat meet ing, for w hich t w o t hir ds of t he St at es Par t ies shall const it ut e a quor um, t he per sons elect ed t o t he Commit t ee shall be t hose nominees w ho obt ain t he lar gest number of vot es and an absolut e major it y of t he vot es of t he St at es Par t ies pr esent and vot ing.

5. (a) The member s of t he Commit t ee shall ser ve for a t er m of four year s. How ever , t he t er ms of five of t he member s elect ed in t he

(b) The elect ion of t he four addit ional member s of t he Commit t ee shall be held in accor dance w it h t he pr ovisions of par agr aphs 2, 3 and 4 of t he pr esent ar t icle, follow ing t he ent r y int o for ce of t he Convent ion for t he for t y-fir st St ate Par t y. The t er m of t w o of t he addit ional member s elect ed on this occasion shall expir e at t he end of t w o year s; t he names of t hese member s shall be chosen by lot by t he Chair man of t he meet ing of St at es Par t ies;

(c) The member s of t he Commit t ee shall be eligible for r e- elect ion if r enominat ed.

6. If a member of t he Commit t ee dies or r esigns or declar es t hat for any ot her cause he or she can no longer per for m t he dut ies of t he Commit t ee, t he St at e Par t y t hat nominat ed the exper t shall appoint anot her exper t fr om among it s ow n nat ionals for t he r emaining par t of t he t er m. The new appoint ment is subject t o t he appr oval of t he Commit t ee.

7. The Secr et ar y-Gener al of t he Unit ed Nat ions shall pr ovide t he necessar y st aff and facilit ies for t he effect ive per for mance of t he funct ions of t he Commit t ee.

8. The member s of t he Commit t ee shall r eceive emolument s fr om Unit ed Nat ions r esour ces on such t er ms and condit ions as t he Gener al Assembly may decide.

9. The member s of t he Commit t ee shall be ent it led t o t he facilit ies, pr ivileges and immunit ies of exper t s on mission for t he Unit ed Nat ions as laid dow n in t he r elevant sect ions of t he Convent ion on t he Pr ivileges and Immunit ies of t he Unit ed Nat ions.

Ar ticle 73

1. St at es Par t ies under t ake t o submit t o t he Secr et ar y-Gener al of t he Unit ed Nat ions for consider ation by t he Committ ee a r epor t on

(a) Wit hin one year aft er t he ent r y int o for ce of t he Convent ion for t he St at e Par t y concer ned;

(b) Ther eaft er ever y five year s and w henever t he Commit t ee so r equest s.

2. Repor t s pr epar ed under t he pr esent ar ticle shall also indicat e fact or s and difficult ies, if any, affect ing t he implement at ion of t he Convent ion and shall include infor mat ion on t he char act er ist ics of migr at ion flow s in w hich t he St at e Par t y concer ned is involved.

3. The Commit t ee shall decide any fur t her guidelines applicable t o t he cont ent of t he r epor t s.

4. St at es Par t ies shall make t heir r epor t s w idely available t o t he public in t heir ow n count r ies.

Ar ticle 74

1. The Commit t ee shall examine t he r epor t s submit t ed by each St at e Par t y and shall t r ansmit such comment s as it may consider appr opr iat e t o t he St at e Part y concer ned. This Stat e Par t y may submit t o t he Committ ee obser vat ions on any comment made by t he Commit t ee in accor dance w it h t he pr esent ar t icle. The Commit t ee may r equest supplement ar y infor mat ion fr om St at es Par t ies w hen consider ing t hese r epor t s.

2. The Secr et ar y-Gener al of t he Unit ed Nations shall, in due t ime befor e t he opening of each r egular session of t he Commit t ee, t r ansmit t o t he Dir ect or -Gener al of t he Int er nat ional Labour Office copies of t he r epor t s submitt ed by St at es Par ties concer ned and infor mat ion r elevant t o t he consider at ion of t hese r epor t s, in order t o enable t he Office t o assist t he Commit t ee w it h t he exper t ise t he Office may pr ovide r egar ding t hose mat t er s dealt w it h by t he pr esent Convent ion t hat fall w it hin t he spher e of compet ence of t he Int er nat ional Labour Or ganisation. The Commit t ee shall

3. The Secr et ar y-Gener al of t he Unit ed Nat ions may also, aft er consult at ion w it h t he Commit t ee, t r ansmit t o other specialized agencies as w ell as t o int er gover nment al or ganizat ions, copies of such par t s of t hese r epor t s as may fall w it hin t heir compet ence.

4. The Commit t ee may invit e t he specialized agencies and or gans of t he Unit ed Nat ions, as w ell as int er gover nment al or ganizat ions and ot her concer ned bodies t o submit , for consider at ion by t he Commit t ee, w r it t en infor mat ion on such mat t er s dealt w it h in t he pr esent Convent ion as fall w it hin t he scope of t heir act ivit ies.

5. The Int er nat ional Labour Office shall be invit ed by t he Commit t ee t o appoint r epr esent at ives t o part icipat e, in a consult at ive capacit y, in t he meet ings of t he Commit t ee.

6. The Commit t ee may invit e r epr esent atives of ot her specialized agencies and or gans of t he Unit ed Nat ions, as w ell as of int er gover nment al or ganizat ions, t o be pr esent and t o be hear d in it s meet ings w henever mat t er s falling w it hin t heir field of compet ence ar e consider ed.

7. The Commit t ee shall pr esent an annual r epor t t o t he Gener al Assembly of t he Unit ed Nat ions on t he implement at ion of t he pr esent Convention, cont aining its ow n consider at ions and r ecommendat ions, based, in par t icular , on t he examinat ion of t he r epor t s and any obser vat ions pr esent ed by St at es Par t ies.

8. The Secr et ar y-Gener al of t he Unit ed Nat ions shall t r ansmit t he annual r epor t s of t he Commit t ee t o t he St at es Par t ies t o t he pr esent Convent ion, t he Economic and Social Council, t he Commission on Human Right s of t he Unit ed Nat ions, t he Dir ect or - Gener al of t he Int er nat ional Labour Office and ot her r elevant or ganizat ions.

Ar ticle 75

1. The Commit t ee shall adopt it s ow n r ules of pr ocedur e.

2. The Commit t ee shall elect it s officer s for a t er m of t w o year s.

3. The Commit t ee shall nor mally meet annually.

4. The meet ings of t he Committ ee shall nor mally be held at Unit ed Nat ions Headquar t er s.

Ar ticle 76

1. A St at e Par t y t o t he pr esent Convent ion may at any t ime declar e under t his ar t icle t hat it r ecognizes t he compet ence of t he Commit t ee t o r eceive and consider communicat ions t o t he effect t hat a St at e Par t y claims t hat anot her St at e Par t y is not fulfilling it s obligat ions under t he pr esent Convention.

Communicat ions under t his ar t icle may be r eceived and consider ed only if submit t ed by a St at e Par t y t hat has made a declar at ion r ecognizing in r egar d t o itself t he compet ence of t he Commit t ee. No communicat ion shall be r eceived by t he Commit t ee if it concer ns a St at e Par t y w hich has not made such a declar at ion. Communicat ions r eceived under t his ar ticle shall be dealt w it h in accor dance w it h t he follow ing pr ocedur e :

(a) If a St at e Par t y t o t he pr esent Convention consider s t hat anot her St at e Par t y is not fulfilling it s obligat ions under t he pr esent Convent ion, it may, by w r it t en communicat ion, br ing t he mat t er t o t he at t ent ion of t hat St at e Par t y. The St at e Par t y may also infor m t he Commit t ee of t he mat t er . Wit hin t hr ee mont hs aft er t he r eceipt of t he communicat ion t he r eceiving St at e shall affor d t he St at e t hat sent t he communicat ion an explanat ion, or any ot her st at ement in w rit ing clar ifying t he mat t er w hich should include, t o t he ext ent possible and per t inent , r efer ence t o domest ic pr ocedur es and r emedies t aken, pending or available in t he mat t er ;

(b) If t he mat t er is not adjust ed t o t he satisfact ion of bot h St at es Par t ies concer ned w it hin six mont hs aft er t he r eceipt by t he r eceiving St at e of t he initial communicat ion, eit her St at e shall have t he r ight t o r efer t he mat t er t o t he Committ ee, by not ice given t o t he Commit t ee and t o t he ot her St at e;

(c) The Commit t ee shall deal w it h a mat t er r efer r ed to it only aft er it has ascer t ained t hat all available domest ic r emedies

(d) Subject t o t he pr ovisions of subpar agr aph ( c ) of t he pr esent par agr aph, t he Commit t ee shall make available it s good offices t o t he St at es Par ties concer ned w it h a view t o a fr iendly solut ion of t he matt er on t he basis of t he r espect for t he obligat ions set for t h in t he pr esent Convent ion;

(e) The Commit t ee shall hold closed meet ings w hen examining communicat ions under t he pr esent ar ticle;

(f) In any matt er r efer r ed t o it in accor dance w it h subpar agr aph (b) of t he pr esent par agr aph, t he Commit t ee may call upon t he St at es Par t ies concer ned, r efer r ed t o in subpar agr aph (b), t o supply any r elevant infor mat ion;

(g) The St at es Par t ies concer ned, r efer r ed t o in subpar agr aph (b) of t he pr esent par agr aph, shall have t he r ight t o be r epr esent ed w hen t he mat t er is being consider ed by t he Commit t ee and t o make submissions or ally and/ or in w r it ing;

(h) The Commit t ee shall, w it hin t w elve mont hs aft er t he dat e of r eceipt of not ice under subpar agr aph (b) of t he pr esent par agr aph, submit a r epor t , as follow s :

(i) If a solut ion w it hin t he t er ms of subpar agr aph (d) of t he pr esent par agr aph is r eached, t he Commit t ee shall confine it s r eport t o a br ief st at ement of t he fact s and of t he solut ion r eached;

(ii) If a solut ion w it hin t he t er ms of subpar agr aph (d) is not r eached, t he Commit t ee shall, in it s r epor t , set for t h t he r elevant fact s concer ning t he issue bet w een the St at es Par t ies concer ned. The w r itt en submissions and r ecor d of t he or al submissions made by t he St at es Par t ies concer ned shall be at t ached t o t he r epor t . The Commit t ee may also communicat e only t o t he St at es Par t ies concer ned any view s t hat it may consider r elevant t o t he issue bet w een t hem. In

2. The pr ovisions of t he pr esent ar ticle shall come into for ce w hen t en St at es Part ies t o t he pr esent Convent ion have made a declar at ion under par agr aph 1 of t he pr esent ar t icle. Such declar at ions shall be deposit ed by t he St at es Par t ies w it h t he Secr et ar y-Gener al of t he Unit ed Nat ions, w ho shall t r ansmit copies t her eof t o t he ot her St at es Par t ies. A declar at ion may be w it hdr aw n at any t ime by not ificat ion t o t he Secr et ar y-Gener al . Such a w it hdr aw al shall not pr ejudice t he consider at ion of any mat t er t hat is t he subject of a communicat ion alr eady t r ansmit t ed under t he pr esent ar t icle; no fur t her communicat ion by any St at e Par t y shall be r eceived under t he pr esent ar t icle aft er t he not ificat ion of w it hdr aw al of t he declar at ion has been r eceived by t he Secr et ar y-Gener al, unless t he St at e Par t y concer ned has made a new declar at ion.

Ar ticle 77

1. A St at e Par t y t o t he pr esent Convent ion may at any t ime declar e under t he pr esent ar ticle t hat it r ecognizes t he compet ence of t he Commit t ee t o r eceive and consider communicat ions fr om or on behalf of individuals subject t o its jur isdict ion w ho claim t hat t heir individual r ights as est ablished by t he pr esent Convent ion have been violat ed by t hat St at e Par t y. No communicat ion shall be r eceived by t he Commit t ee if it concer ns a St at e Par t y t hat has not made such a declar at ion.

2. The Commit t ee shall consider inadmissible any communicat ion under t he pr esent art icle w hich is anonymous or w hich it consider s t o be an abuse of t he r ight of submission of such communicat ions or t o be incompat ible w it h t he provisions of t he pr esent Convent ion.

3. The Commit t ee shall not consider any communicat ion fr om an individual under t he pr esent ar ticle unless it has ascer t ained t hat :

(a) The same mat t er has not been, and is not being, examined under anot her pr ocedur e of int er nat ional invest igat ion or set t lement ;

(b) The individual has exhaust ed all available domest ic r emedies; t his shall not be t he r ule w her e, in t he view of t he Commit t ee, t he applicat ion of t he r emedies is unr easonably pr olonged or is unlikely t o br ing effect ive r elief t o t hat individual.

4. Subject t o t he pr ovisions of par agr aph 2 of t he pr esent ar t icle, t he Commit t ee shall br ing any communicat ions submit t ed t o it under t his ar t icle t o t he at t ention of t he St at e Par t y t o t he pr esent Convent ion t hat has made a declar at ion under paragr aph 1 and is alleged t o be violat ing any pr ovisions of t he Convent ion. Wit hin six mont hs, t he r eceiving St at e shall submit t o t he Commit t ee w r itt en explanat ions or st at ement s clar ifying t he mat t er and t he r emedy, if any, t hat may have been t aken by t hat St at e.

5. The Commit t ee shall consider communicat ions r eceived under t he pr esent ar t icle in t he light of all infor mat ion made available t o it by or on behalf of t he individual and by the St at e Par t y concer ned.

6. The Commit t ee shall hold closed meet ings w hen examining communicat ions under t he pr esent ar ticle.

7. The Commit t ee shall for w ar d it s view s t o t he St at e Par t y concer ned and t o t he individual.

8. The pr ovisions of t he pr esent ar ticle shall come into for ce w hen t en St at es Par t ies t o t he pr esent Convention have made declar at ions under par agr aph 1 of t he pr esent ar t icle. Such declar at ions shall be deposit ed by t he St at es Par t ies w it h t he Secr et ar y-Gener al of t he Unit ed Nat ions, w ho shall t r ansmit copies t her eof t o t he ot her St at es Par t ies. A declar at ion may be w it hdr aw n at any t ime by not ificat ion t o t he Secr et ar y-Gener al . Such a w it hdr aw al shall not pr ejudice t he consider at ion of any mat t er t hat is t he subject of a communicat ion alr eady t r ansmit t ed under t he pr esent ar t icle; no fur t her communicat ion by or on behalf of an individual shall be r eceived under t he pr esent ar t icle aft er t he not ificat ion of w it hdr aw al of t he declar at ion has been r eceived by t he Secr et ar y-Gener al, unless t he St at e Par t y has made

a new declar at ion.

Ar ticle 78

The pr ovisions of ar t icle 76 of t he pr esent Convent ion shall be applied w it hout pr ejudice t o any pr ocedur es for set t ling disput es or complaint s in t he field cover ed by t he pr esent Convent ion laid dow n in t he const it uent inst r ument s of, or in convent ions adopt ed by, t he Unit ed Nat ions and t he specialized agencies and shall not pr event t he St at es Par ties fr om having r ecour se t o any pr ocedur es for set t ling a disput e in accor dance w it h int er national agr eement s in for ce bet w een t hem.