OECD member country high-level delegations will meet remotely October 28-29 for three-hour daily sessions of roundtable discussions following the postponement of its annual late-May Ministerial in Paris due to COVID-19. The abbreviated agenda for the Ministerial focuses on global and national recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, including through trade and investment, sustainability and international cooperation. USCIB is preparing for the Ministerial, including active participation as part of the Business at OECD (BIAC) team in OECD preparatory high-level roundtables over the course of the fall.

Meanwhile, U.S. Government preparations for the Ministerial are being led by the Department of State—Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Environment and Energy Keith Krach will likely head U.S. Government participation. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will chair the Ministerial sessions, and OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria will also play a major role in the Ministerial deliberations.

USCIB Vice Presidents and Acting Policy Co-leads Norine Kennedy and Mike Michener consulted on the Ministerial agenda with senior staff at the Department of State and the U.S. Mission to the OECD in Paris on October 13.

“We were able to underline USCIB and international business priorities, emphasizing the role the private sector can play in restoring global economic growth and the contribution of U.S. business to COVID-19 response and recovery in that context,” said Kennedy. “Open, transparent trade and investment regimes advancing rule of law and substantive U.S. business engagement to develop, resource and deploy sustainability and COVID-19 solutions are key to enabling economic recovery.”

BIAC, with strong USCIB leadership, has been actively contributing to preparations for the OECD Virtual Ministerial. USCIB provided substantive input and expertise into the BIAC policy submission to the OECD and for the September 14 consultation for the Ministerial.  Rick Johnston from Citi (who also chairs the USCIB Trade and Investment Committee and serves as a vice chair of the BIAC Board), played a key role in BIAC’s October 7 Board meeting, which reviewed how best to represent the business agenda and priorities for the Ministerial.

“We at USCIB are encouraged that the OECD is persevering with its Ministerial this year, albeit in an abbreviated virtual format,” said USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson.  “And we fully support the focus on national and international actions, measures and international cooperation that can drive economic recovery.  The private sector, led by USCIB member companies, can play a vital role in driving that growth and job creation. The BIAC Statement, Strengthening International Coordination to Overcome COVID-19: Business Recommendations for the Recovery, reflects USCIB priorities, highlighting the importance of technology-neutral, all-of-economy measures that balance economic, social and environment considerations as countries enact stimulus measures.”