USCIB Director for International Agriculture Natalie Bidner participated in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Sustainable Investment Days and Investment Committee Week held in Paris. The week of events included a stakeholder consultation with OECD member countries with USCIB providing key priorities during the Business at OECD (BIAC) invention. During the week, USCIB highlighted the following priorities: 

Supporting International Investment 

USCIB stressed the importance of further discussions and analysis between businesses and OECD member countries to identify effective policies and instruments that encourage investments. 

Future of Investment Treaties 

The future of investment treaties was another significant focus. USCIB emphasized the necessity of balancing business protection rights with governments’ policy freedom rights. While also underscoring the importance of investor-state dispute settlement as an essential component of investment treaties, ensuring that no sector loses protection for legitimate and legal activities. 

National Security and Investment 

USCIB advocated for more transparency regarding the reasoning behind the rejection of certain investments. Additionally, USCIB suggested that screening processes should be limited to clearly defined technology areas and specific security risks. 

Importance of OECD’s FDI Qualities Work 

Lastly, USCIB highlighted the importance of the OECD’s work on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) qualities. USCIB noted that the OECD’s research and development of foundational instruments for Private Finance Initiative (PFI) and FDI qualities are crucial for understanding investment and development in various countries.