E/C.12/ALB/CO/2-3 United Nations Economic and Social Council Distr.: General 18 December 2013 Original: English Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Concluding observations on the combined second and third periodic reports of Albania* 1. The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights considered the combined second and third periodic reports of Albania on the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (E/C.12/ALB/2-3) at its 33rd and 34th meetings (E/C.12/2013/SR.33-34), held on 6 November 2013, and adopted, at its 68th meeting, held on 29 November 2013, the following concluding observations. A. Introduction 2. The Committee takes note of the submission by Albania of its combined second and third periodic reports. The Committee also takes note with satisfaction of the detailed written replies which it received to its list of issues (E/C.12/ALB/Q/2-3/Add.1), and welcomes the constructive dialogue held with the State party’s delegation. B. Positive aspects 3. The Committee notes that under articles 5 and 122 of the Constitution, the international conventions on human rights ratified or acceded to by Albania, including the Covenant, have become part of the domestic legislation and have been directly applicable and their provisions can be invoked before and applied by the domestic courts. 4. The Committee welcomes the State party’s ratification of or accession to the following instruments: (a) International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, in 2007; (b) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in 2013; (c) The three Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child; and * Adopted by the Committee at its fifty-first session (4-29 November 2013). GE.13-49811 *1349811*

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