particular in the context of industrial action by prison staff, is a serious failure to co-operate with the Committee, about which successive Belgian governments have made their views known on numerous occasions. For these reasons, the CPT has had no choice but to make this public statement, pursuant to Article 10, paragraph 2, of the Convention establishing the Committee. In issuing this statement, the CPT calls upon the Belgian authorities and all stakeholders, in particular the social partners, to assume their responsibilities once and for all and find quickly an appropriate solution to this exceptionally serious problem which should not arise in a Council of Europe member state. The fact that the relevant consultation processes are under way or about to start provides an excellent opportunity in this context. In addition, the Committee strongly encourages the Belgian authorities to step up their efforts to transfer at the earliest opportunity those persons subject to a psychiatric detention measure to facilities where they can be given appropriate psychiatric care, especially as they are particularly vulnerable when industrial action is taken by prison staff. Lastly, the CPT wishes to recall that the recommendations it has made in the past are above all a means of helping the government and everyone concerned, including at legislative and judicial level, to make the necessary changes. In furtherance of its mandate, the Committee is fully committed to continuing and intensifying its dialogue with the Belgian authorities. Appendices ► Page 59