CERD/C/CZE/CO/7 page 2 B. Positive aspects 3. The Committee welcomes the entry into force on 1 January 2007 of the Services Act, setting out the principle of equal treatment for all State employees with regard to conditions of performance of service, remuneration and other financial payments, education and promotion. 4. The Committee welcomes the adoption of the new Employment Act of 2004, which prohibits direct and indirect discrimination in the enjoyment of the right to work, in particular on the grounds of race or ethnic origin, nationality, citizenship, descent, language and religion or belief. 5. The Committee welcomes the assurances provided by the delegation that, under the new Education Act of 2004, basic education will be provided to all regardless of citizenship and legality of residence. The State party should provide more detailed information on this issue, in particular on any remaining distinctions between citizens and non-citizens in accessing primary and secondary education, as well as in participating in regular activities organized in schools. 6. The Committee notes with satisfaction that the State party ratified the European Convention on Nationality and the Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons in 2004, as well as the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in 2006, bearing in mind the relevance of these conventions for the implementation of the provisions of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. C. Concerns and recommendations 7. The Committee appreciates that data collected by the State party on the ethnic composition of its population are based upon self-identification by the individual concerned, in compliance with the Committee’s general recommendation VIII (1990) on identification with a particular racial or ethnic group (art.1, par.1 & 4). It also welcomes the efforts made by the State party to provide a qualitative assessment of the numbers of the Roma who consider themselves part of this community. It notes, however, the significant discrepancies between statistical data and qualitative estimates, suggesting the limitations of purely statistical data to assess the economic and social situation of groups, in particular the Roma. The State party should enhance its efforts to qualitatively assess the situation of minority groups within the meaning of article 1 of the Convention, in particular the situation of persons who consider themselves part of the Roma community. It should also review its methods of data collection so as to more fully reflect the principle of self-identification. Any such steps should be taken in consultation with the Roma community.