09/04/2015 – OECD Member countries agreed today to open membership discussions with Costa Rica and Lithuania. The decision was taken during a meeting of the OECD’s governing body, the Council, in Paris. It follows the decision taken by Council in May 2013 to work closely with Costa Rica and Lithuania to prepare for their future accession process. In response, both countries approved Action Plans in 2013, designed to align their policies with OECD standards and to participate in OECD bodies. OECD Members have expressed their satisfaction with the implementation of these Action Plans and concluded that the participation of Costa Rica and Lithuania in the OECD's activities has served a mutual benefit.

Welcoming the decision taken by the 34 Member countries of the OECD, Secretary-General Angel Gurría said: “the opening of accession talks with Costa Rica and Lithuania and the interest by these two countries in joining our Organisation highlights the OECD’s growing role as the place where countries go to find answers to common economic challenges. Both Costa Rica and Lithuania come well prepared, as they have intensified their co-operation with us over the past few years and have impressed our Members with their commitment to OECD standards for good policy. The accession process will be a transformational opportunity for both countries and will further enrich the policy debate at the OECD and enhance our role as the 'house of best practices'.”

The next stage in the accession process will be the establishment of individual roadmaps. Accession talks will take place individually between the candidate countries and the OECD involving the committees with responsibility for the substantive aspects of the Organisation’s work.

Costa Rica and Lithuania have been invited to participate in the meeting of the OECD Council at Ministerial level to be held in Paris in early June.

For further information, journalists are invited to contact the OECD’s Media Division (news.contact@oecd.org, +33 1 45 24 97 00)

For more information on OECD Members and partners: http://www.oecd.org/about/membersandpartners/enlargement.htm

