15/11/2001 - Russia is to become the first non-OECD country to participate in the OECD's regulatory reform review programme, which examines the compatibility of policy framework of individual countries with efficient markets and good governance. A meeting will take place in Moscow 19-20 November to launch the 2-year project and introduce the OECD Regulatory Reform Programme to senior Russian officials, business representatives and academia. The Russian review will focus on government procedures, market openness, competition policy and the macroeconomic context for reform.

The seminar will be opened by senior representatives of the Presidential Administration and the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Russian Federation on 19 November at 9.30 a.m. at the Sheraton Palace Hotel at 1st Tverskaya-Yamskaya Street 19. This first session of the seminar will be open for the press. It will bring together OECD experts and representatives from member countries including many that have undergone regulatory reform reviews themselves. A media briefing will take place on 20 November at 1.00 p.m. at the Sheraton Palace Hotel.

The regulatory reform project follows over a decade of co-operation between the OECD and the Russian Federation to help the government address key institutional and policy issues essential for economic and social progress. The review will contribute to the design and implementation of regulatory reform strategies for the Russian Federation. Regulatory reform provides substantial benefits to OECD economies. The benefits in Russia could be even greater.

The dialogue between Russia and the OECD on policy issues is reinforced through Russia's participation in formal OECD bodies such as the OECD competition and steel committees. The OECD has conducted three Economic Surveys of the Russian Federation, as well as policy reviews of Russian education, agriculture, environment and science and technology.

The OECD has completed regulatory reform reviews for 12 countries -- U.S., Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Hungary, Denmark, Italy, Ireland, the Czech Republic and Greece -- and four more reviews (Poland, the United Kingdom, Canada and Turkey) are currently under way. The reports reflect the input and views of all 30 OECD Member countries and the European Commission, as well as contributions from the business and labour communities.

For further information, journalists are invited to contact Inga Stefanowicz, the OECD Public Management Service (tel. [33] 1 45 24 18 13) or Meggan Dissly, OECD Media Relations Division (tel. [33] 1 45 24 80 94).

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