The ILO is an international governmental organisation establishedin 1919.ILO's important and unique feature is its tripartite structure.Its mainbodies consist of representatives of the state (government representatives), employers and employees (their bodies) with a ratio of2: 1: 1.
The ILO's principal bodies are:
1. The International Labour Conference- held annually. Delegations from all Member States are involved in its work. The conference discusses the report of the Director-General of the International Labour Office, adopts the Organisation's budget, discusses a report on the implementation of conventions and recommendations, adopts international conventions and recommendations.
2. The Governing Body -it consists of 56 members, of which 28 government and 14 representatives of employers and workers. This is the ILO's main executive body. Its meetings prepare and discuss the Organization's draft budget, the agenda of the sessions of the International Labour Office, it elects the Director-General, etc.
In June 1999 - June 2002 Bulgaria was a deputy member of the Governing Body of the International Labour Office, in June 2002 it was elected a titular member of the Governing Body for 2002-2005 This was recognition of the active role of the country in the establishment of international labor standards.
During this period Bulgaria took an active part in the work of the Committee on Employment and Social Policy, the Committee on Freedom of Association, the Programme Committee, Finance and Administration Working Group on the social aspects of globalization and the Board of Directors of the International Training Centre in Turin.
At the 97th session of the International Labour Conference in 2008, Bulgaria was elected deputy member of the Governing Body of the International Labour Office for 2008-2011. During this period, representatives of the MLSP and the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Bulgaria to the UN and other international organizations in Geneva took part in the above committees.
The main priorities of the MLSP related to the country's participation in the International Labour Organisation, were to improve the compliance of national law with international labour standards, by improving the legal framework and implementation. The past decade has been marked by intensive cooperation between Bulgaria and the International Labour Office; it is worth noting that Bulgaria is at the lead among the countries that have ratified most ILO conventions. Besides purely quantitative terms, the focus of the international activities of the MLSP is a qualitative and effective implementation of agreed standards, as well as updating them by those adopted in recent decades and has become widespread in the international labour world.
Our country has received considerable technical assistance from the Organization. Of great benefit to Bulgariahave been three cooperation programmes signed and fully implemented between Bulgaria and the ILO for the period 2000-2009, as well as the Decent Work Agenda drawn up and implemented thereafter. In 2010 Bulgaria was included in the Global Jobs Pact of the ILO. Activities Coordinator at the Global Jobs Pact was the International Organisations and International Cooperation Department at the European Affairs and International Cooperation Directorate.
Bulgaria was a deputy member of the Governing Body of the International Labour Office, 2011-2014It was elected to the post in 2011 during the 100th session of the International Labour Conference, as our application was approved as a result of an oral agreement reached with Lithuania and Hungary in March 2011. As a deputy member of the GB, Bulgaria had a seat on the board of the International Training Centre of the ILO in Turin and the board of the International Institute for Labour Studies.
On 2 June 2014 during the 103rd session of the International Labour Conference of the quota of government representatives for Bulgaria was elected a titular member of the Governing Body of the International Labour Office for the period 2014 to 2017, and the CITUB president, Mr Plamen Dimitrov, was elected deputy member of the quota of employees /in personal capacity/.
The titular membership in the GB of the International Labour Office enables the active influence of Bulgaria in decision-making relating to all issues on the agenda of the above committees and the plenary of the GB.It makes it possible to improve the international prestige of our country, to strengthen our cooperation with the International Labour Office and to establish useful contacts, as well as to find better opportunities of participation in programmes and projects. The membership is relevant also to enhancing the prestige of Bulgaria as a new Member State of the European Union.
3. The International Labour Office- this is the secretariat of the ILO, which employs international staff from many countries around the world. The main task of the ILO is to assist the ILC, the Governing Body and the Members in respect of various employment and social security issues. It is headed by the Director-General.
ILO activities are grouped into three main areas:
-a standard-setting function -this is the main activity - adoption of international labour conventions and recommendations, whose purpose is to establish international rules to regulate labour, outlining trends that encourage the development of national employment legislation and social policy of the states;
- technical cooperation- consists in providing assistance and support to members in solving practical issues related to labour and the situation of workers;
- research, research and information activitiesof the ILO. It is implemented by the International Labour Office. It prepares materials on issues included in the agenda of the International Labour Office and the Governing Body, it provides advice, expert opinions and opinions on draft laws and other projects in the field of labour, social security, carries out and publishes research, which summarizes international experience in solving labour and social issues.