30/05/2013 - Today the OECD took a significant step to extend its global reach by deciding to open membership talks with Colombia and Latvia and signaling its intention to do likewise with Costa Rica and Lithuania in the near future.

Welcoming the decision taken by the 34 Member countries of OECD, Secretary-General Angel Gurría said: “Today’s decision underscores the OECD’s commitment to further diversify its global membership and reinforces its role as a standard setter and “house of best practices”. Colombia and Latvia have made clear that membership is critical to their development and reform efforts. These countries will make a valuable contribution to enrich our collective experience and strengthen OECD as a source of effective and innovative public policies. Colombia and Latvia can blaze the trail for Costa Rica and Lithuania”.

The decision on Colombia and Latvia was taken at the OECD’s annual Ministerial Council Meeting in Paris. They also signaled their intention to open accession talks with Costa Rica and Lithuania in 2015 and to work closely with these countries in the intervening period. The applications for accession by the other countries reviewed by the OECD will be further considered on a case-by-case basis.


The next stage in the accession process will be the establishment of individual roadmaps. Accession talks will take place individually between the candidate countries and the OECD involving the committees with responsibility for the substantive aspects of the Organisation’s work.

In 2007, OECD invited five nations to open talks on accession. Chile, Estonia, Israel and Slovenia became full members in 2010 and accession talks with the Russian Federation are ongoing.

For further information, journalists are invited to contact the OECD’s Media Division (news.contact@oecd.org, +33 1 45 24 97 00)

 

For more information on the OECD’s annual Ministerial Council Meeting: www.oecd.org/mcm

For more information on OECD Members and partners: www.oecd.org/about/membersandpartners/