Article 1 of the OECD Convention sets out three principle aims for the Organisation, one of which is "to contribute to sound economic expansion in member as well as non-member countries in the process of economic development".

While engagement with non-Members has always been important to the Organisation, since the early 1990s, its importance has increased in a number of ways: the accession of new Members, strengthened co-operation with "Key Partners" and closer involvement of non-Members in subsidiary bodies through various forms of partnerships.

Countries Having Joined the OECD Since 1994

Country	Year
Costa Rica - Accession Agreement	2021
Colombia - Accession Agreement	2020
Lithuania - Accession Agreement	2018
Latvia - Accession Agreement	2016
Estonia - Accession Agreement	2010
Slovenia - Accession Agreement	2010
Israel - Accession Agreement	2010
Chile - Accession Agreement	2010
Slovak Republic - Accession Agreement	2000
Korea - Accession Agreement	1996
Poland - Accession Agreement	1996
Hungary - Accession Agreement	1996
Czech Republic - Accession Agreement	1995
Mexico - Accession Agreement	1994

Becoming a Member of the OECD is not a simple formality but is the result of a rigourous review process. The OECD governing body (the Council), which comprises all the Members of the Organisation, decides whether to open accession discussions with a country and fixes the terms, conditions and process for accession (see also section below on Framework for the Consideration of Prospective Members).

---

Accession Discussions Since 2007

In 2007, accession discussions were opened with Chile, Estonia, Israel, the Russian Federation and Slovenia (Council Resolution on Enlargement and Enhanced Engagement). The terms, conditions and process for the accession were set out in Roadmaps for each country: Chile, Estonia, Israel, the Russian Federation and Slovenia. Four of these countries have now become Members of the Organisation: Chile, Estonia, Israel and Slovenia. Further to a meeting of the OECD Council on 25 February 2022, activities related to the accession process of the Russian Federation have been terminated. 

On 29 May 2013, the OECD Council Meeting at Ministerial Level decided to open accession discussions with Colombia and Latvia (Council Resolution on Strengthening the OECD's Global Reach). The terms, conditions and process for the accession were set out in Accession Roadmaps adopted by Council on 19 September 2013 for Colombia and on 15 October 2013 for Latvia. Latvia became a Member of the OECD on 1 July 2016. Colombia became a Member of the OECD on 28 April 2020.

On 9 April 2015, the Council decided to open accession discussions with Costa Rica and Lithuania. Accession Roadmaps for Costa Rica and Lithuania were adopted by Council on 8 July 2015. Lithuania became a Member of the OECD on 5 July 2018. Costa Rica became a Member of the OECD on 25 May 2021.

On 25 January 2022, the Council decided to take the first step in accession discussions with six candidate countries to OECD membership – Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia, Peru and Romania. Accession Roadmaps for Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia, Peru and Romania were adopted at the Council meeting at Ministerial level on 10 June 2022. With regards to Argentina, the Roadmap was adopted by Council on 26 March 2024.

On 20 February 2024, the Council decided to open accession discussions with Indonesia. On 29 March 2024, the Accession Roadmap for Indonesia was adopted by Council making it the first Southeast Asian country to become a candidate for OECD membership.

Post-accession Process Since 2007

For the countries which have been invited to open accession discussions with the Organisation since 2007, the Accession Agreement provided that the acceding country would report to specified committees after accession on progress in the implementation of OECD legal instruments or recommendations made by committees during the accession process.

In the case of Colombia, Costa Rica, Latvia and Lithuania, the Accession Agreement also provided that an annual summary of the country's post-accession progress prepared by the Secretary-General shall be made public. These annual summaries can be found below:

Country	Year
Colombia	2021; 2022; 2023
Costa Rica	2022; 2023
Latvia	2018 (concluded)
Lithuania	2021; 2023

 Other Post-accession Reports:

Country	Committee
Colombia	Employment, Labour and Social Affairs Committee: 2021, 2022, 2023

 

---

Framework for the Consideration of Prospective Members 

Following the call of Ministers at the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting (MCM) 2016 “for a strategic reflection by Members on the future size and membership of the Organisation and for a report to the 2017 MCM”, an evidence-based Framework for the Consideration of Prospective Members was developed. The Framework was adopted by the OECD Council on 2 June 2017.

The Framework is applied according to the process described in paragraph 25 of the Report. 

 

• OECD Partners and enlargement