Obligations of governments relating to the procedure of the Committee on Freedom of Association (Procedure in respect of the Committee on Freedom of Association and the social partners: Function of the ILO and mandate of the Committee on Freedom of Association)

20. Governments should recognize the importance for their own reputation of formulating detailed replies to the allegations brought by complainant organizations, so as to allow the Committee to undertake an objective examination.

(See the Digest of 1985, para. 59.)

21. In all the cases presented to it since it was first set up, the Committee has always considered that the replies of governments against whom complaints are made should not be limited to general observations.

(See the Digest of 1985, para. 59.)

22. In all cases, whether or not they are urgent, if the first reply from the government in question is of too general a character, the Committee requests the Director-General to obtain all necessary additional information from the government, on as many occasions as it judges appropriate.

(See the Digest of 1985, para. 57.)

23. When the Committee requests a government to furnish records of judicial proceedings, such a request does not reflect in any way on the integrity or independence of the judiciary. The essence of judicial procedure is that its results are known, and confidence in its impartiality rests on their being known.

(See 256th Report, Case No. 1423, para. 397; see also 74th Report, Case No. 298, para. 51.)