Introductory note At its 283rd Session (March 2002), the Governing Body examined measures taken to make certain improvements to standards-related activities, made necessary by the major changes occurring worldwide since the late 1980s. While considering that improvement is a continuous process which can never be regarded as finished, the Governing Body specified what remained to be done in the light of the issues raised over the past eight years, and drew up a timetable for examining the points raised. In this regard, in November 2003, the Governing Body, after considering the improvements that could be made to the development of standards, approved the proposal to produce a document on good drafting practices, on condition that the initiative be subject to an assessment of the costs involved, that the document be examined by a tripartite group of experts before being submitted to the Governing Body, and that it be non-binding. In view of the last of these conditions, the document is called a "Manual" (manuel in French) for drafting ILO instruments.[1] The development of international labour standards, Conventions and Recommendations, is the result of the participation of many actors who are not necessarily jurists. This Manual for drafting ILO instruments should be a work of reference for all those involved in the process of developing and drafting international labour standards: Government, Employer and Worker members of Conference technical committees, members of drafting committees, as well as officials working in technical units. It is intended to facilitate the preparatory and drafting work by indicating how a given question was resolved in the past. This does not mean that knowledge of past practice is an obstacle to innovation. On the contrary, a sound understanding of past practice can enable us, in full knowledge of the facts, to free ourselves from the burden of habit and to propose innovative solutions that will meet the needs of bodies responsible for developing and finalizing standards. A recent example is the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006. [1] See doc. GB.286/13/1 (Mar. 2003), Para. 43, and doc. GB.288/LILS/2/1 (Nov. 2003).
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