Brazil begins OECD accession process, says government

The federal government has sent the first declaration of accession to the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development), a group of 38 countries that are among the richest in the world.

Ministers at the Planalto Palace made the announcement Thursday (Oct. 6).

Joining this organization was one of Jair Bolsonaro’s promises in 2018 and gained strength in the final phase of the first government.

Now Brazil is evaluated by 26 committees in different areas such as the environment, health, and tax administration.

Ciro said the most important thing right now is demonstrating the government’s direction.

“We want to improve Brazilian policies, and structural reforms, and create more opportunities for our people.”

“The document has more than 1,100 pages […], and it involved a total of more than 48 institutions and almost 1,000 technicians from the federal government to achieve this result.”

Guedes said the process comes right when Brazil is “taking off.”

He said the country is one of the fastest growing, is creating jobs, and is on track to become one of the most advanced in the world.

Minister França said that if the whole process goes right, Brazil will be the only emerging country to be represented in the G20, the BRICS, and the OECD simultaneously.

“This is very important because deepening our relationship with the OECD will help us eliminate our bottlenecks and inefficiencies, the famous Brazilian costs. We will have access to international best practices.”

Guedes said these credentials could help Brazil enter the United Nations (UN) Security Council.

“Brazil is very respected out there,” the economist said.

Brazil has already signed 108 of the 230 instruments it must complete joining the OECD.

The thematic groups will effectively assess implemented policies and legislation. It is not exactly a checklist. It is a political and diplomatic process. Adjustments can be negotiated.

The OECD was established in 1961 in the context of the post-World War II era.

It started with the rich European countries and the United States. Later, other nations were included.

The organization is known for advocating for representative democracy and the market economy.