The Minister of Economy presented our country’s readiness for accession to the OECD Trade Committee.
The benefits for Bulgaria from joining the OECD are indisputable. I am confident that adopting the organization’s values and best practices will send a strong signal to trade partners and international investors. This will guarantee their trust, increase our country’s attractiveness for foreign investment, and contribute to sustainable economic growth, increased competitiveness and the development of several sectors.
This was stated by the Minister of Economy and Industry, Petar Dilov, who held a meeting with the Deputy Secretary-General of the OECD, Yoshiki Takeuchi. The two met at the headquarters of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris.
The meeting discussed Bulgaria’s progress in the accession reviews in the areas for which the Ministry of Economy and Industry plays a leading role – the Committees on Corporate Governance, Trade, Consumer Protection and Steel. Our country has completed 11 of the 25 technical reviews planned, two of which are the Committees on Steel and Consumer Policy, for which the Ministry of Economy and Industry is the lead.
“The competent Bulgarian institutions are strongly committed to the accession reviews at all levels – both expert and political,” the Minister of Economy assured.
He stressed that accession to the OECD is a major foreign policy priority of the Bulgarian government and that intensive work is being done to achieve it.
The meeting revealed that Bulgaria is determined to complete the technical phase of the accession process by the end of 2025 – early 2026, and to receive an official invitation from the OECD Council to join later in 2026.
“We are actively working on the implementation of all OECD recommendations, with a particular focus on investment policy, anti-corruption, environmental policy and corporate governance – an area in which national efforts are coordinated by the Ministry of Economy and Industry,” Dilov emphasized.
“We appreciate the progress and efforts of your country, as well as the Ministry of Economy and Industry, on the path to joining the Organization,” Yoshiki Takeuchi said.
During his visit to the OECD, Minister Dilov presented the Bulgarian position to the Trade Committee and took part in the first round of the accession review in this area.