OECD and the Russian Federation
The OECD has worked with the Russian Federation since 1991. Activities related to Russia’s accession to the Organisation were “postponed for the time being” in March 2014 with a decision by the OECD’s Council. Since then and in line with the OECD’s Council decision, technical co-operation between the OECD and Russian on topics of mutual benefit has continued.
Russia has the status of Associate or Participant in a number of OECD Committees, Working Groups and other bodies, and it continues to work with the OECD, both on bilateral projects and within the framework of the G20 on such broader global initiatives as G20/OECD BEPS or the OECD/G20 Principles on Corporate Governance. Modes of co-operation include research and analytical work, joint events, Russian participation in OECD bodies and events, the exchange of information on Russian and OECD standards, and technical advice based on OECD standards.
flag
OECD-Russia co-operation in the G20
Building on their collaboration in 2013, under Russia’s G20 Presidency, the OECD and the Russian Federation work together through the G20, with concrete co-operation across a variety of policy areas. The OECD continues to build on its engagement with Russia in the G20 context and looks forward to continuing collaboration in these and other areas.
- The G20/OECD Base Erosion & Profit Shifting (BEPS) Project: Initiated during the Russian presidency, the BEPS project has since achieved impressive results in tackling corporate tax avoidance and evasion. Russia is fully engaged in the work of the OECD/G20 BEPS Inclusive Framework, including efforts to tackle tax challenges arising from the digitalisation of the economy. It supported the unified approach proposed by the OECD to the G20 Finance Ministers’ meeting in October 2019. Russia is also committed to the work of the OECD-hosted Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes.
- The G20 Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity (GFSEC): Under the Japanese G20 Presidency in 2019, Russia, as co-chair of the forum, has played a key role and closely partnered with the OECD, the GFSEC facilitator, in navigating the complex discussions and diverging views of GFSEC members.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) Principles: Russia has supported the endorsement of the G20 AI Principles, drawn from the OECD AI Principles.
- Governance & Integrity: Russia has also been working to promote integrity in the G20 context. It is a party to the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention. Together with other parties, it is promoting adherence to, and implementation of, the Convention by all G20 countries.
- Finance & Investment: Russia works closely with the OECD in the context of the G20 “finance track”, which includes financial inclusion, infrastructure investment and financing for investment, building on the seminal G20/OECD High-Level Principles of Long-Term Investment Financing by Institutional Investors adopted in 2013.
Participation of the Russian Federation in OECD bodies
Russia participates in 26 OECD bodies and three projects in which it has the status of Member, Associate or Participant. In addition, Russia is included in the Participation Plans of 17 other OECD bodies. Moreover, as a G20 country and Financial Stability Board Member, Russia has been a key player in many discussions, including the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) project in the Committee on Fiscal Affairs and the revision of the G20/OECD Principles of Corporate Governance. In December 2014, Russia was elected to join the Management Group of the Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions and, in January 2016, it became a Participant in the Regulatory Policy Committee.
Adherence to OECD instruments
Russia has adhered to some 27 OECD legal instruments, including, among others, the Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, the G20/OECD Corporate Governance Principles, the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, and a number of tax-related instruments, particularly those connected to the BEPS project, in which Russia has played an important role.
OECD-Russia technical co-operation
Economic Monitoring of the Russian Federation (2017-18)
The aim of this project, which started in January 2017, was to follow Russia’s economic development and provide analysis of economic policy challenges. This provided the resources needed for continued coverage of Russia in Going for Growth and the Economic Outlook. In addition, the Secretariat presented its research at technical workshops in Russia. The project concluded at the end of 2018 and has not yet been renewed. Discussions are under way (as of October 2019) about future work of the OECD Economics Department, most likely with a focus on productivity challenges.
OECD-Russia Corporate Governance Roundtable
The activities of the OECD Russia Corporate Governance Roundtable, launched in 2011, continue. The Roundtable supports Russia’s efforts to tackle corporate governance challenges and develop a robust legal and regulatory framework. It also helps raise global awareness of Russian corporate governance developments and reform progress.
Financial Education in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
As part of the OECD's ongoing research and analysis and in line with the G20 work stream on financial literacy, this project benefits multiple participants, as the support goes beyond Russia. Russia finances these activities in six countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan). The project focuses on:
- advanced data collection and analysis of financial literacy levels and gaps
- developing, implementing and reviewing effective national strategies for financial education
- addressing youth’s financial literacy needs through schools and out-of-school initiatives
- identifying and meeting the financial literacy needs of migrants and their families. This work is scheduled to run through 2022.
Good Laboratory Practices System in Russia
In March 2017, the Secretariat received a request from the Russian Federation's Ministry of Economy to assist the Russian Federation in developing a Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) system. The project was launched in March 2018. The work comprises three main activities:
- general GLP workshop and technical seminar for GLP monitoring authority staff (in the event, two of these took place)
- technical seminar for test facilities
- full audit of the Russian Federation’s GLP compliance monitoring programme.
The seminars took place in Russia in 2018 and the audit took place in July 2019 in Moscow and Vladimir. The Secretariat has invited the Russian authorities to present the report at a meeting of the Working Group on GLP in Japan in February 2020.
Urban Policy
In 2019, The OECD undertook a case study of Moscow for the OECD Programme on a Territorial Approach to the SDGs programme. This work is part of a broader consortium for the programme, which currently includes 9 pilot cities/regions. In November 2019, the OECD and the Russian authorities agreed to begin work on a national-level review of urban policies.
In 2019, the OECD conducted a seminar on “Redefining Cities” in Moscow. Hosted by the Ministry of Economic Development, this technical seminar for almost 100 Russian officials and experts focused on data and methodological issues for defining functional urban areas and ways of using such data for better urban policy formulation and implementation.
Education
The OECD and the Institute for Strategy of Education Development in Moscow ran a series of teachers’ seminars in Moscow, Kazan, St Petersburg and Novosibirsk in late 2019. They provided training on competence-based (rather than knowledge-based) curricula to around 800 Russian teachers from across the country. These seminars took place against the backdrop of Russia’s participation in the latest round of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and in the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS).