In July, the Congressional Research Service (CRS), the respected non-partisan research and policy analysis arm of the Library of Congress, published a concise, 10-page report on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
The OECD is, of course, particularly important and relevant to USCIB and its members, given our unique role as the U.S. affiliate of the OECD’s Business and Industry Advisory Committee (BIAC). The CRS study is a fair and constructive assessment of a complex – and sometimes misunderstood – organization.
The very readable CRS report reviews the history and structure of the OECD, its committees and secretariat staff, its substantively rigorous “peer review” culture, and its increasingly relevant work in support of the G8 and G20 processes.
The report emphasizes the OECD’s pro-market, pro-growth orientation. It highlights some of the OECD’s work and international leadership on a range of important issues, include trade and investment, macroeconomic policy, education and job skills, environmental sustainability, anti-bribery, and pro-competitive markets. Work on critical issues like combating terrorism and anti-money laundering (through the affiliated Financial Action Task Force) and on export credit subsidies (through the Export Credit Arrangement) exemplify the OECD’s unique contribution hosting important niche efforts on critical issues that include both OECD members and non-members.
The OECD is driving progress on tough issues that are important to American companies, including tax policy, privacy, the green economy and investment policy. It is staying abreast of top-drawer issues, for example through new cross-cutting analytical work to promote “competitive neutrality” between state-owned enterprises and private-sector firms.
In each of these areas, as well as many other areas, USCIB staff and our member company representatives are playing leadership roles through BIAC, as well as directly with the OECD, its members governments, and beyond to help make OECD the unique, global economic think tank that it can and should be.
As reaffirmed in the new CRS report, the United States needs a strong, effective, open and pragmatic OECD. So does American business. USCIB is working hard to help make that happen.
Staff contact: Shaun Donnelly
