Government: Launch of OECD accession talks confirms Romania's high level of technical training

The Government of Bucharest welcomes the decision of the Council of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to launch accession negotiations with Romania, emphasizing in a press release that through this decision, our country is significantly close to achieving one of the its strategic foreign policy objectives, unanimously shared and constantly assumed at the highest level of the state: obtaining OECD membership.According to the release sent by the Executive, the launch of the OECD accession talks represents a special political-diplomatic success of our country, which also confirms Romania's high level of technical training."With this decision, Romania is significantly closer to achieving one of its strategic foreign policy objectives, unanimously shared and constantly assumed at the highest level of the state: obtaining OECD membership," the release reads.The quoted source underlines that Romania particularly appreciates the efforts of the OECD Secretary General, Mathias Cormann, and of the 38 member states to identify the consensus on enlargement and especially for the support given to Romania's candidacy."OECD membership will strengthen Romania's international profile and provide access to the expertise of an international body valued for the quality of economic studies and public policy evaluations. It will also provide the opportunity to participate directly, along with other members, in establishing international regulations in the field of good economic governance. The opening of the accession talks represents the culmination of the consistent efforts of the Romanian diplomacy and of the entire institutional spectrum of the last decades, in order to bring Romania closer to the OECD standards and practices, globally recognized as a standard of good governance in developed economies. This success is the result of a close inter-institutional collaboration in which the relevant ministries and institutions have been involved over time, under the auspices, since 2016, of an Interministerial Committee, currently coordinated directly by the Prime Minister of Romania," the press release reads.The Government states that the decision of the OECD Council is a recognition of the fact that Romania shares the values and principles of the Organization. At the same time, it is a testament to Romania's continued involvement in strengthening cooperation with the OECD and the added value that our country brings to the Organization."The announcement marks the beginning of a period of deepening the partnership with the OECD. This complex and intense stage will involve measures to be taken in a wide range of areas, in the spirit of OECD values and for the benefit of the well-being of its citizens. economic and social, with a focus on public governance, investment and taxation, sustainable development, environmental protection and climate action, public integrity and anti-corruption policies, education, digital transition", according to the same source.The Government also reaffirms that its institutions are ready to cooperate actively with the working structures of the OECD in order to complete the stage of negotiations as soon as possible, on the road to accession to the OECD, noting that along our country the decision to open negotiations adopted on Tuesday also referred to Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia and Peru.   President Klaus Iohannis also welcomes the decision of the Council of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to launch accession negotiations with Romania."I warmly welcome today's OECD decision to open accession negotiations with Romania. I thank Secretary-General Mathias Cormann and the member states for supporting Romania's candidacy! We remain committed to achieving the goal of joining the OECD with energy and determination," the President wrote on Facebook on Tuesday.* Established in 1961, the OECD is an intergovernmental forum dedicated to identifying, disseminating and evaluating the implementation of appropriate public policies to ensure sustainable economic growth and social stability. The 38 OECD members (most of them Europeans - 23) are developed countries, accounting for more than 70% of global production and trade and 90% of global foreign direct investment.Romania's accession to the OECD is a strategic foreign policy goal, which has garnered cross-party support from Romania's post-December governments. Our country officially submitted its candidacy for membership in the OECD in April 2004, which has been reiterated several times.