Plenković expects Croatia to join the OECD next year

Croatia is in the final stages of joining the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and should become its member next year, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković announced on the X social platform.

“Croatia is in the final phase of accession. We met the requirements in 20 out of 25 committees and in 25 out of 26 subcommittees. We have completed a great reform journey and I believe that we will successfully complete the entire process in the next year,” announced Andrej Plenković after a meeting with OECD leader Mathias Cormann in Paris.

He added that Croatia is grateful for the continued support in the process of joining the OECD, which he called "our remaining strategic goal on the foreign policy front."

Plenković added that the new law on legal entities owned by the Republic of Croatia is in force, which was adopted with the aim of professionalizing and making the work of state-owned companies more efficient.

He said that the Croatian delegation discussed with Cormann the positive economic trends in Croatia, whose GDP has been growing for 19 consecutive quarters, and that the budget for next year is expected to keep the budget deficit below three percent of GDP and reduce the share of public debt in GDP to 56 percent.

OECD Secretary-General in Zagreb in January

Speaking for HTV news, journalist Tamara Marković said that Croatia received encouraging messages today at the OECD headquarters in Paris.

She added that the technical part of the accession will be completed by the end of January, and that formal legal issues and votes in the OECD Council will follow. “Economy Minister Ante Šušnjar said that work is underway to close bilateral issues, including the one related to the harmonization of trade practices between Europe and the US,” Marković said.

“OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann confirmed that he will come to Zagreb at the end of January,” she added.

“Every time we hear encouraging words from him. At plenary sessions, he cites Croatia as an example of a country that has carried out reforms, which has implemented standards for others for which the process has taken over 20 years. He is convinced that we will be a full member in 2026, given that we have fulfilled all the necessary prerequisites and implemented all the standards and best practices of the OECD,” said Ante Šušnjar, Minister of Economy.

Source: HRT