Direct Request on submission to competent authorities (CEACR) - adopted 2025, published 114th ILC session (2026)

Panama

Submission. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that, through a letter dated 2 May 2025 – subsequently reiterated by an electronic communication dated 1 July 2025 – the Ministry of Labor and Labor Development (MITRADEL) once again requested information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MIRE) regarding the measures that MIRE intends to adopt in relation to the instruments pending submission. MITRADEL is awaiting receipt of such information.

In addition, the Committee recalls the information provided by the Government in 2024 informing that, through a letter dated 2 April 2024, MITRADEL informed MIRE of the Conventions pending submission and requested that MIRE take the actions it deemed necessary. In its reply dated 8 May 2024, MIRE informed MITRADEL that, pursuant to Article 165(1)(b) of the Political Constitution of the Republic of Panama, any bill to be submitted to the National Assembly, must first be submitted to the Cabinet Council, which is responsible for authorizing the submission to the National Assembly. The request for submission must be accompanied by a favourable report recommending the ratification of the given Convention.

In this context, while acknowledging the ongoing efforts undertaken by the Government to comply with its constitutional obligation of submission, the Committee wishes to recall once again that this obligation is of the highest importance and constitutes a fundamental element of the standards system of the ILO. However, the Committee emphasizes once again that the obligation of ILO Member States to submit the instruments adopted by the Conference to the competent authorities does not imply any obligation to propose the ratification or application of the instruments in question, or to take any other specific action. Pursuant to article 19 of the ILO Constitution, Member States have complete freedom as to the nature of the proposals to be made, if any, when submitting the instruments. In this respect, the Committee draws the attention of the Government to the Memorandum concerning the obligation to submit Conventions and Recommendations to the competent authorities, adopted by the Governing Body in 2005, particularly Part I on the aims and objectives of submission.

Lastly, the Government indicates that tripartite consultations were carried out regarding the Safe and Healthy Working Environment (Consequential Amendments) Convention (No. 191) and Recommendation (No. 207), 2023 and the Quality Apprenticeships Recommendation, 2023 (No. 208), adopted by the Conference at its 111th Session. The Committee therefore once again reiterates its request that the Government provide information on the submission to the National Assembly of the five instruments adopted at the following sessions of the Conference: 89th (Safety and Health in Agriculture Convention, 2001 (No. 184)), 90th (Protocol of 2002 to the Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981), 91st (Seafarers’ Identity Documents Convention (Revised), 2003, as amended (No. 185)), 95th (Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No. 187)) and 96th (Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (No. 188)). The Committee also reiterates its requests that the Government provide information on the submission of the Safe and Healthy Working Environment (Consequential Amendments) Convention (No. 191) and Recommendation (No. 207), 2023 and the Quality Apprenticeships Recommendation, 2023 (No. 208), adopted by the Conference at its 111th Session. The Committee trusts that the Government will provide the information requested without further delay.