Fresh News

Prime Minister Nicolae-Ionel Ciucă has chaired the meeting of the OECD Interministerial Committee whose role is to coordinate negotiations and the necessary changes for Romania’s OECD membership.

'Yesterday’s decision of the OECD Council regarding the opening of accession negotiations with Romania represents for us an opportunity that we are duty-bound to capitalize on. Today’s meeting is the signal we convey about the seriousness with which we treat the preparation of our country’s accession to the OECD, for joining the developed countries which account for more than 70 percent of the global production and trade, and 90 percent of the global foreign direct investment. After EU and NATO accession, opening OECD accession prospects is the chance for a new stage of citizen-oriented reforms and the alignment of our society to the consolidated democracies model”, stated Prime Minister Nicolae-Ionel Ciucă.

Today's meeting at the ministerial level, of the Interministerial Committee for the coordination of Romania's relations with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), is designed to convey the necessary message to boost Romania's efforts regarding the OECD accession dossier. Whereas the decision to open negotiations for Romania's OECD membership was a political one, technical preparations are central to our country’s path towards accession.

The Interministerial Council validated Romania's adherence to the principles, values ​​and standards of the Organization, as reinforced and developed in the two recently adopted OECD documents at the OECD Ministerial Council meeting (Paris, October 2021) - “ OECD VISION STATEMENT” and “2021 MINISTERIAL COUNCIL STATEMENT”. The values ​​and principles set out in the latest two relevant documents refer to the importance of internationally coordinated efforts by all OECD Member States in the areas which are deemed essential:

- Post-pandemic recovery by addressing all policies through a reaffirmed commitment to democracy, the rule of law, human rights, gender equality, open market economy principles;

- Promotion of effective courses of action in the areas of climate change, digital transformation, a multilateral trading system based on clear rules, the global labour market, digital economy taxation;

- Devising better policies and standards to ensure a resilient, green and sustainable recovery from the pandemic.

So far, Romania has adhered to 6 of the 8 essential standards for accession:

● Declaration on Investment;

● Principles of Corporate Governance;

● Principles for Internet Policies Making;

● Recommendation on Good Statistical Practice;

● BEPS Inclusive Framework - base erosion and profit shifting;

● Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information;

In the coming months, Romania will start activities related to the accession to the OECD Codes of Liberalization. Moreover, Romania has already expressed its intention to join the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention. All these commitments are being translated into relevant reforms for the modernization of our country's economy.