United Nations Economic and Social Council E/C.12/EST/CO/2 Distr.: General 16 December 2011 Original: English Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Forty-seventh session 14 November-2 December 2011 Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under articles 16 and 17 of the Covenant Concluding observations of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Estonia 1. The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights considered the second periodic report of Estonia on the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (E/C.12/EST/2 and Corr.1) at its 32nd to 34th meetings, held on 15 and 16 November 2011 (E/C.12/2011/SR.32-34), and adopted, at its 59th meeting held on 2 December 2011, the following concluding observations. A. Introduction 2. The Committee welcomes the submission of the second periodic report of Estonia which complies with the Committee’s reporting guidelines. The Committee also welcomes the written replies to its list of issues (E/C.12/EST/Q/2/Add.1). Moreover, the Committee welcomes the statistical data provided in both documents which enabled the Committee to make an assessment of the progress in the realization of the rights. 3. The Committee welcomes the dialogue with the State party and the frank and constructive interaction it had with the high-level and large delegation which comprised representatives from relevant ministries. B. Positive aspects 4. The Committee welcomes the ratification of the following instruments: the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (18 Dec. 2006), the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty (30 Jan. 2004), and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (3 Aug. 2004). GE.11-47802