On 4 December, the regular coordination meeting on Latvia’s activities in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) was held under the chairmanship of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The working group has been established following Latvia’s accession to the OECD and comprises representatives from public administration institutions, social partners and business associations.
The head of the working group, Under Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andris Pelšs, presented an overview of what Latvia has accomplished since its accession to the OECD. This has been set out in detail in the informational report on the evaluation of the first year of Latvia’s OECD membership and on proposals for the improvement of cooperation or the coordination mechanism.
Andris Pelšs noted that Latvia’s accomplishments have also been comprehensively reflected in the 2017 Economic Survey of Latvia. The head of the working group summed up his presentation by saying that the first year of Latvia’s OECD membership is to be rated positively: it is no coincidence that the OECD’s report Going for Growth 2017 has recognised Latvia as the most responsive reformer in the organisation. Andris Pelšs called on members of the working group to actively continue their OECD-related work and to provide information to the general public on a regular basis about the benefits of Latvia’s membership of the OECD.
Ivita Burmistre, Ambassador at the Permanent Representation to the OECD and UNESCO informed the working group about the OECD work programme for 2018: several high-level events have been scheduled, offering an opportunity for Latvia to share its experience of working in the OECD. Latvian experts are already providing their contribution both by taking part in peer reviews, for instance, of Argentina, Costa Rica and Ukraine, and representing Latvia on the leadership structures of the OECD’s committees and working groups.
Members of the working groups shared their experience on the fulfilment of recommendations received during the accession negotiations and on plans for 2018, as well as cooperation with the OECD Committees since Latvia’s accession. Public institutions informed their colleagues on taking over the organisation’s best practice and the use of its expertise in the areas highly important for Latvia, such as education, welfare, justice, the productivity of national economy, and health care.
See the infographics: The First Year of Latvia’s OECD Membership
