The 44th Annual Meeting of CIS National and Collaborating Centres took place on 14 and 15 September 2006, at ILO Headquarters in Geneva. Representatives of 35 Centres of the CIS worldwide network and observers from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work attended the Meeting.

The meeting offered an opportunity to exchange information on the activities and accomplishments of CIS and its Centres. Forthcoming CIS products and services were introduced, comprising a newly engineered version of the SafeWork Bookshelf in English [ access current version of the SafeWork Bookshelf ] and French in CD and online formats that are due to be launched by the end of this year. The future role of the CIS network in better serving the international community was debated and suggestions to expand its visibility were put forward. Various presentations were made on issues of particular interest, including the concepts of the new Promotional Framework Convention for Occupational Safety and Health and its accompanying Recommendation, adopted at the International Labour Conference of the ILO in June 2006, and the strategic approach of the National Occupational Safety and Health Profiles. Inputs on good communication techniques were also provided to help in conducting promotional activities and in the dissemination of information.

The Report of the 2006 Annual Meeting of CIS Centres provides information about the conduct of the meeting, details of the discussions and links to annual reports of CIS Centres and presentations when provided.

The meeting of CIS Centres was preceded on 13 September by a one-day "Hands-on" Workshop on new occupational safety and health services, working smarter not harder, kindly organized by Ms. Sheila Pantry [ read more about the CIS Information Workshop ].

A certain number of CIS Centres have offered to host the 2007 CIS Annual Meeting. However, the place and dates for its venue have not yet been decided.

   View picture taken at the 44th Annual Meeting of CIS Centres