A/HRC/11/L.10 page 43 173. The outcome of the review on Germany comprised the report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (A/HRC/11/15), the views of Germany concerning the recommendations and/or conclusions, and its voluntary commitments and replies presented before the adoption of the outcome by the plenary to questions or issues that were not sufficiently addressed during the interactive dialogue in the Working Group (see also A/HRC/11/15/Add.1). 1. Views expressed by the State under review on the recommendations and/or conclusions as well as on its voluntary commitments and the outcome 174. The Permanent Representative of Germany to the United Nations Office at Geneva presented the additional views of Germany to the recommendations made during the working group review on 2 February 2009. The full text of the German comments to the 44 clustered recommendations is contained in the addendum to the report of the Working Group (A/HRC/11/15/Add.1). 175. The Permanent Representative indicated that the answers of Germany reflect the very positive interest the country had taken in the creation and conduct of the universal periodic review as well as the open and constructive spirit in which it had approached the recommendations. The review had received considerable attention in Germany at all levels, including Parliament, and discussion on the issues raised would certainly continue. 176. A total of 35 of the 44 clusters of recommendations were accepted, most of which without reservations or restrictions. Germany regretted not to be yet in a position to provide a definite answer on the signing and ratification of the new Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, in view of the fact that it was an issue still under consideration. In that regard, the Permanent Representative noted that the recommendations that could not be accepted related to issues that had been and were the subject of ongoing and intense debate among all stakeholders in Germany, and the relevant recommendations were considered to be a valuable addition to that debate. 177. Germany indicated that all recommendations had been subjected to careful scrutiny by the relevant authorities at the federal level, and had been considered in the light of both international obligations and national laws, as well as to their added value for the protection and promotion of