Romania, one step away from a new blockage of Austria in foreign policy. Nicușor Dan: “They could take us out of the OECD. We solved it”

President Nicușor Dan declared on Thursday evening, on Digi24, that Romania is “on the chart” in the process of joining the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and that, most likely, our country will become a member in the summer of this year. The head of state explained that one of the most delicate problems, Austria's opposition, had been overcome.

Nicușor Dan says that we are in line with the OECD. PHOTO: Inquam Photos / George Călin

Nicușor Dan recalled that Romania recently went through a critical moment in the relationship with Austria, which could have blocked the accession to the OECD. The President explained that the situation has been managed and that, currently, there is no longer any risk of Bucharest being excluded from the accession process.

“We had a bilateral issue with Austria that could take us out of the OECD. We resolved it“, said the head of state.

The President emphasized that foreign policy must focus on resolving all bilateral tensions so that Romania is perceived as a credible and predictable partner. The head of state specified that, after the stabilization of bilateral relations, Romania must move to a stage of active economic diplomacy, aimed at strengthening trade and investment relations with OECD member states:

“What we need to do in foreign policy is to regulate all these bilateral issues so that we are a serious partner. In the next phase, let's do economic diplomacy so that we evaluate economic relations”.

“We are in line with the OECD”

Nicușor Dan reiterated that Romania meets the set schedule and that accession is very close:

We are in line with the OECD. Probably in the summer of this year we will enter the OECD. This means a certificate for the fact that Romania is competitive and a new invitation for companies to come to Romania.

Accession to the OECD, one of Romania's most important strategic objectives

Accession to the OECD is considered one of Romania's most important strategic objectives, along with strengthening its role in the EU and NATO.

Joining the organization would represent a confirmation of the economic, legislative and institutional standards achieved by our country and would open access to investments and advanced public policies.

This week, in an interview for “Adevărul”, Luca Niculescu, secretary of state in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, explained that despite the last years marked by political instability at the domestic level, as well as deepening international disputes, Romania is getting closer to joining the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the most important national goal after NATO and EU integration. In an optimistic scenario, our country could join “the select club” of the global economy since the summer of this year, after a journey officially started in 202

Currently made up of 38 countries, among the most developed economies on the planet, the OECD represents one of the most relevant economic structures at the global level, with the main goal of increasing well-being. Through standards, analyzes and public policy recommendations, OECD membership could represent a real catalyst for Romania's economic growth, in a context marked by multiple measures aimed at reducing the excessive budget deficit. Luca Niculescu, who is also the national coordinator for the OECD accession process, explained what concrete steps Romania has taken to join the OECD, what is next and, above all, what benefits membership in this prestigious organization will bring.

“We hope to be members of the OECD during this year”

The Secretary of State also explained when a final decision on Romania's accession could be made.

“We have 25 committees to close. I closed 19, six more to go. So these six have to be closed and, after we do it, there are still some internal OECD procedures and internal procedures in Romania. But the most important are those from the OECD. And we hope that during this year, if possible, before autumn comes, we will be members of the OECD.

I said, the year 2026. We hope it will be until the fall, but there are things we control, others related to the internal architecture of the OECD. Either way, 2026, if it happens to be this year, is one of the fastest accessions an OECD member country has ever seen. Once again, under the most complex conditions of an accession process, especially taking into account the fact that Romania is a large country, with almost 20 million inhabitants, with an extremely complex and diversified economy and with institutions that should work together and that have worked well together”. he said Luca Niculescu