country reports it had had to consider. It was a pity that the document had been distributed too late to allow delegations sufficient time to review it. 19. His country would have difficulty endorsing the rather general, even over-simplified, co~ments in paragraphs 22 to 27 of the report concernmg respect for economic, social and cultural rights within the context of the current international environment. The general nature of those suggestions indicated that the Working Group had lacked sufficient time to prepare them. "Progressive" implementation of the provisions of the International Covenant on Eco­ nomic, Social and Cultural Rights should not be used as an excuse for inaction. 20. The text of resolution 1986/17, which had been adopted by consensus at the forty-second session of the Commission on Human Rights, emphasized the importance of the reporting process under the Cov­ enant and reminded the States parties that expertise should be the main qualification of nominees to the new Committee. It underlined the need to place the work of the Committee in the broader context of the relationship between economic, social and cultural rights and the development process. 21. Delegations should submit suggestions on how the new Committee should function. Australia be­ lieved that the breadth of subject-matter covered by the Covenant created special difficulties. It was important that the new Committee should be as disciplined and rigorous as possible in asking ques­ tions related to reports. To that end, more general questions could be avoided if reporting countries prepared brief country profiles. 22. Moreover, it would be easier to handle the large volume of documentation generated in the reporting process if attachments to reports were used more effectively, and if reports sought to identify trends and to analyse, rather than simply describe, current developments. It would also be important to cross­ reference material available to other expert 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing the reporting process and the functioning of a committee related to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. It mentions the importance of the reporting process, the need for expertise in the new Committee, and the need for reports to be more analytical and trend-focused. This suggests that the category should be related to human rights and international law, rather than a specific sector like industry or agriculture.

**Category**
Education, Human Rights