OECD
A forum of 38 market-oriented democracies promoting economic progress and world trade.
The OECD is an intergovernmental organisation founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and world trade, with 38 member countries as of its latest enlargement.[1] Its member states collectively comprised 58.4% of global nominal GDP and 38.9% of global GDP at purchasing power parity in 2026.[2]
Quick Facts
- Headquarters
- Château de la Muette; Paris, France
- Leader
- Mathias Cormann
- Languages
- English, French
Facts from the source article.
Key facts and history
The OECD succeeded the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation (OEEC), established in April 1948 among European recipients of Marshall Plan aid.[3] The OEEC's primary function was allocating American aid, and only Western European states were members.[3] Meetings at the Hotel Majestic in Paris from January 1960 led to a resolution creating a body to assist both advanced and less developed economies.[4][5] This reconstituted organisation brought the US and Canada on board as full members and began work to convince Japan to join.[4][5]
Following the Revolutions of 1989, the OECD established the Centre for Co-operation with European Economies in Transition in 1990 and launched the "Partners in Transition" programme for Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Poland in 1991.[6][7] After Marshall aid concluded in 1952, the OEEC turned its attention to economic matters, yet its ability to coordinate was contested following the 1957 Rome Treaties that created the European Economic Community and Euratom.[8] The OECD established specialized bodies including the OECD Development Centre (founded 1961) and the International Energy Agency (founded 1974).[9]
What the cited sources add
The Czech Republic's accession process involved scrutiny of its legislation on capital movements, taxation, and environment based on OECD instruments, with the government lodging reservations where needed.[7] The Czech Republic deposited its instrument of accession to the OECD Convention on 21 December 1995.[7] The OECD has never provided loans or financial assistance to transition countries, instead offering policy advice, consultation, and analysis.[7] The OECD nations' combined GDPs represent approximately two-thirds of the world's total, according to marketbusinessnews.com.[5]
All OECD member states claim to be market economies committed to democracy.[5] The OECD Secretariat, based in Paris, consists of approximately 2,500 employees who support committee activities.[5]
References
- Wikipedia, "OECD" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "List of OECD Member countries – Ratification of the Convention on the OECD", OECD; Shields, "Mathias Cormann confirmed as a frontrunner for OECD post following candidate cull", The Sydney Morning Herald, 13 January 2021 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "OECD" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "OECD Economic Data Data", World Economics; "Population, total – OECD members"; "World Economic Outlook Database", International Monetary Fund, 15 April 2026; "Intergovernmental Organizations", United Nations; "Social Expenditure – Aggregated data", Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; "Getting to the OECD", OECD; "Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development", Encyclopedia Britannica (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "OECD" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Organisation for European Economic Co-operation", OECD; "The Economic Cooperation Authority", Marshallfoundation.org; Christopher, "In the stream of history: shaping foreign policy for a new era", Stanford University Press, 1998, p. 165; Lintott, "Machinery for Rebuilding the European Economy: II. The Organization for European Economic Cooperation", International Organization, 1949, p. 269–277 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "OECD" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: OECD, "OECD 60th anniversary", OECD 60th anniversary }}{{Dead link, October 2025; "What is the OECD? Definition and Meaning", marketbusinessnews.com; "A majestic start: How the OECD was won, in OECD Yearbook 2011", OECD Observer (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- "What is the OECD? Definition and Meaning", marketbusinessnews.com. facts only, no text reused. marketbusinessnews.com
- Wikipedia, "OECD" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "The Czech Republic in the OECD", Permanent Delegation of the Czech Republic to the OECD; "The Czech Republic in the OECD", Permanent Delegation of the Czech Republic to the OECD; "A vision for Poland: Joining the world's most advanced", OECD, 23 November 2006; "South Korea joins OECD", Chicago Tribune, 25 October 1996 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- "The Czech Republic in the OECD", Permanent Delegation of the Czech Republic to the OECD. facts only, no text reused. mzv.cz
- Wikipedia, "OECD" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Organisation for European Economic Co-operation", OECD (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "OECD" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Marković, "The OECD and the International Political Economy Since 1948", Springer Nature, 2017, p. 89–111 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article OECD (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
More in International And Comparative Law
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced