Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Linas Linkevičius, attended the Ministerial Council Meeting of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris on 6–8 June 2017 (Making Globalisation Work: Better Lives for All) where ministers from member countries and candidate countries discussed the impact of globalisation on improving well-being.
It is an annual meeting that debates on strategic issues of OECD activities and enlargement. This year’s Meeting focused on challenges conditioned by globalisation and ways of addressing them; it was a person-centred meeting that dealt with inclusive growth, a need to advance open and digital economies and a necessity to implement advanced international standards.
In Paris, the head of the Lithuanian delegation met with Deputy Secretary-General of the OECD, Douglas Frantz.
“We informed Mr Deputy Secretary-General about the actual steps that the Government of Lithuania takes in implementing accession-related reforms. We are expected to make progress, in the near future, in the efficiency of state-run enterprises, in the openness of our investment policy, in our public sector, and application of principles of responsible business,” Linkevičius said.
While talking with Secretary-General of the OECD, Angel Gurría, Minister Linkevičius stressed Lithuania’s reform-oriented efforts and its political goal to become a member in 2018. He invited the Secretary-General of the OECD to visit Lithuania next year when the country would celebrate the centenary of the restoration of the State of Lithuania.
The Lithuanian Foreign Minister also signed the Multilateral Convention that stipulates measures to modernise bilateral tax treaties concluded to eliminate double taxation. The Convention will help counter treaty abuse and improve dispute resolution mechanisms. It is noteworthy that multilateral efforts can give tangible results in this area.
The OECD is an intergovernmental forum where experts from member countries discuss, share experiences and develop new guidelines for economic and social policies to be later transposed into practice. The Organisation offers support to its members and partners, which is underpinned by the Organisation’s values applied in introducing the best global practices and standards in the area of public policy. The OECD covers a broad range of issues – macroeconomics, environmental protection, education, science, technologies, and innovations. Other international economic organisations and financial institutions appreciate its research- and analysis-based surveys of individual countries’ policies in various fields.
The OECD is an organisation of 35 member countries. Lithuania started its accession process in 2015. Lithuanian membership of the OECD means its fully-fledged role in development and adoption of international rules in various policy areas that have a direct impact on Lithuania’s development. OECD membership is seen as an indicator of the country’s economic stability and credibility, as well as an instrument of addressing modern challenges. Its OECD membership will have a positive impact on Lithuania, on attraction of investment, on international borrowing costs, reduction of social and economic exclusion, and sustainable growth. When Lithuania is an OECD member, it will have access to the latest OECD research data and surveys and will be able to use the good practice of OECD members for improving the quality of its public governance.
