A/71/44 M. Implementation of retreat decisions on the working methods of the Committee 21. In follow-up to the decisions of its two-day retreat on working methods, held at its fifty-third session, the Committee undertook the following actions: (a) Four States (Antigua and Barbuda, Cabo Verde, Côte dʼIvoire and Seychelles) with long overdue initial reports were offered the simplified reporting procedure (see sect. II.D.); (b) The Committee started a preliminary substantive evaluation of the simplified reporting procedure (see sect. II.B.); (c) The Committee adopted guidelines for follow-up to concluding observations (CAT/C/55/3); (d) The Committee improved the contribution and participation of national human rights institutions, national preventive mechanisms and non-governmental organizations in its sessions (see sect. I.J.), including using new communication technologies, such as Skype; (e) The Committee established a working group on individual complaints so as to enable the Committee to apprehend fully the internal processes of the individual complaints procedure and consider any need to revise the rules of procedure; (f) sect. I.H.); The Committee decided to draft a revised general comment on article 3 (see (g) The Committee adopted guidelines on the receipt and handling of allegations of reprisals against individuals and organizations cooperating with the Committee under articles 13, 19, 20 and 22 of the Convention (see sect. I.K.). II. Submission of reports by States parties under article 19 of the Convention 22. During the period covered by the present report, 21 reports from States parties under article 19 of the Convention were submitted to the Secretary-General. Initial reports were submitted by Lebanon and Pakistan. Second periodic reports were submitted by Afghanistan, Bahrain, Ireland, Namibia and Turkmenistan. A third periodic report was submitted by Kuwait. A combined third to fifth periodic report was submitted by the Republic of Korea. Fourth periodic reports were submitted by Armenia and Mauritius. Fifth periodic reports were submitted by Belarus and Sri Lanka. A combined fifth and sixth periodic report was submitted by Argentina. Sixth periodic reports were submitted by Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Italy and Monaco. Seventh periodic reports were submitted by Ecuador, Finland and Paraguay. 23. As at 13 May 2016, the Committee had received a total of 400 reports and had examined 376; there were 28 States parties with overdue initial reports and 35 States parties with overdue periodic reports (see the status of reports on the Committee web page). GE.16-13567 5