BULGARIA BEGINS ACCESSION TALKS WITH THE OECD
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On June 10, 2022, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) gave an official start to the Bulgaria's accession talks by approving a Roadmap with the parameters, stages and conditions of the accession process.
This took place within the framework of the annual meeting of the OECD Council at ministerial level, held in Paris on the 9th and 10th of June 2022.
Velislava Petrova, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Ivaylo Yajjiev, Deputy Minister of Finance, participated in the Bulgarian delegation for the Ministerial Meeting of the OECD Council.
The day of adoption of the Roadmap was described as "historic" by the Deputy Minister Velislava Petrova. Bulgaria shares the vision, values and priorities of the Organization - individual freedoms, democracy, rule of law, protection of human rights, open and transparent market economy, and the accession process aims to confirm that our country adheres to these values and priorities. Bulgaria will make efforts to successfully conclude the membership talks in the shortest possible time, to align the Bulgarian legislation and policies with the best practices and standards in the OECD and, in cooperation with the Secretariat and member states, to work out ways to improve them, stated Ms. Velislava Petrova.
In the current complex geopolitical situation, provoked by the large-scale Russian aggression in Ukraine, Bulgaria, as part of the global community of democratic states, contributes to strengthening of the multilateralism and the rules-based international order, which is seriously threatened by the Russia's actions. Bulgaria's accession to the OECD will also contribute to the spread of the Organization's standards and principles throughout the region of Southeast Europe, Deputy Minister Petrova emphasized.
This year's OECD ministerial meeting was chaired by Italy and was opened by the Prime Minister Mario Draghi. The theme of the conference was "The future we want - better policies for the next generation and for a sustainable transition". In the two days of the conference the ministers discussed the global challenges such as the Russian’s aggression and the trade and environmental sustainability and Bulgaria had the opportunity to present its point of view on current global topics.
Joining the OECD is a major foreign policy priority and will bring a number of benefits. The motto of the OECD is "Better policies for better lives" and the main goal - the achievement of a higher standard of living for all citizens. The membership will increase the confidence in our country's economic system, attract investments and improve business conditions. This will create more opportunities for work and job places will increase. High OECD standards will support effective governance, sustainable economic growth, efforts for a clean environment and the reduction of inequalities. The Organization has developed tools in important areas for Bulgaria, such as education, youth, the labor market and high technologies. Detailed OECD statistics will facilitate policy making. The accession process is expected to strengthen confidence in the institutions. By joining the OECD Bulgaria will have the opportunity to actively participate and have a voice in the search for solutions to current global challenges.
The OECD Council also approved accession roadmaps for Brazil, Peru, Romania and Croatia. Bulgaria received an invitation to start accession talks on January 25, 2022, and the readiness of our country to start the accession process was confirmed the next day by the Prime Minister Kiril Petkov
In addition, The Republic of Bulgaria submitted an application for membership in the OECD in 2007. You can find more information about the Bulgarian candidacy in the special section on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.