E UNITED NATIONS Economic and Social Council Distr. GENERAL E/C.12/LVA/CO/1 7 January 2008 Original: ENGLISH COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS Thirty-eighth session Geneva, 30 April-18 May 2007 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 LATVIA 1. The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights considered the initial report of Latvia on the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (E/1990/5/Add.70) at its 14th, 15th and 16th meetings, held on 8 and 9 May 2007 (E/C.12/2007/SR.14-16), and adopted, at its 25th meeting held on 16 May 2007, the following concluding observations. A. Introduction 2. The Committee welcomes the submission of the initial report of Latvia, albeit late, which was prepared in general conformity with the Committee’s guidelines, and the detailed written replies to its list of issues. 3. The Committee welcomes the dialogue with the delegation of the State party, which included a number of representatives from various government departments. The Committee regrets however, that the delegation has chosen not to answer some of the questions. B. Positive aspects 4. The Committee welcomes the establishment, in January 2007, of the Office of the Rights Defender (the Ombudsperson), which replaced the Latvian National Human Rights Office. GE.08-40067