“Our goal of joining the OECD is not just another piece of paper – we wish to use the accession process as a catalyst for reform by introducing the organization’s advanced standards. We strive for progress in various areas, aiming towards better quality of state governance, improved investment environment and attractive business conditions, advanced methods helping to fight corruption, education and healthcare modernization, an effective management of state property and state-owned enterprise reform,” said Linkevičius.
The high-level OECD delegation is visiting Lithuania, as the country is halfway through the accession process to the organization. This year, the focus will be mainly on improving corporate governance in state-owned enterprises, reducing political influence, the implementation of measures directed at market liberalization, the fight against the involvement of legal and natural persons in corrupt transactions. We plan to adopt or change about two hundred laws in total.
The OECD membership is our government’s priority. Lithuania will seek to complete the accession negotiations in 2018. Lithuania was invited to open formal OECD accession talks in 2015.
The OECD is an economic organisation with 35 member countries. Most of the OECD members are high-income economies, regarded as developed countries. More than 250 OECD committees and working groups allow officials of the member countries to assess reforms carried out by the partners, to share experience and to apply global best practices. The international community recognizes the OECD membership as a guarantor of the country’s economic stability. The fact is also to be taken into account when providing loans to governments and planning long term investments.
