The Convention of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) was signed in Paris by the United States, Canada, and the 18 European countries which were members of the Organisation for European Economic Cooperation (OEEC) on December 14, 1960. The OECD formally came into force on September 30, 1961, when it replaced the OEEC. Subsequently, membership was granted to Japan (1964), Finland (1969), Australia (1971), New Zealand (1973), Mexico (1994), Czech Republic (1995), Hungary (1996), Poland (1996), Korea (1996) and Slovak Republic (2000). Briefly defined, the OECD constitutes a forum where its 30 member governments, assisted by an international Secretariat, work together to examine and coordinate their economic and social policies in the widest sense.

COMPOSITION

30 member countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States.

The Commission of the European Communities (EC) takes part in the work of the Organisation. In addition, various international organizations participate or may be represented in one or more of the OECD committees: International Labour Organization (ILO), United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), IBRD, IMF, World Trade Organization (WTO), Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration, Bank for International Settlements (BIS), Council of Europe.

OECD has official relations with some other intergovernmental organizations, such as UNESCO, Organization of American States (OAS), and the European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT). It also maintains close relations with two nongovernmental organizations, the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD (BIAC), representing employers' federations, and the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD (TUAC), representing trade unions in member countries.

STRUCTURE

The Organisation has two component bodies--the governmental, consisting of the Council and its subsidiary committees and working parties; and the Secretariat, consisting of the Secretary-General and his staff.

The governing body of the OECD is the Council, in which each member country is represented. The Council meets regularly (in principle, twice a month) at official level (Heads of National Delegations), and once a year at Ministerial level. The Council is responsible for all questions of general policy, and may establish subsidiary bodies as required to achieve the aims of the Organisation.

          Members                              Heads of National Delegations
                                                     (Ambassadors)
          Australia:                           Ian K. FORSYTH
          Austria:                             Ulrich STACHER
          Belgium:                             Régine DE CLERCQ
          Canada:                              Jocelyne BOURGON
          Czech Republic:                      Jirí MACESKA
          Denmark:                             Peter BRÜCKNER
          Finland:                             Jorma JULIN
          France:                              Dominique PERREAU	
          Germany:                             Hans-Stefan KRUSE
          Greece:                              George E. KRIMPAS
          Hungary:                             Károly Lotz
          Iceland:                             Sigridur Asdis SNAEVARR
          Ireland:                             John ROWAN
          Italy:                               Francesco OLIVIERI
          Japan:                               Seiichiro NOBORU
          Korea:                               Kyung-tae LEE
          Luxembourg:                          Hubert WURTH
          Mexico:                              Alejandro RAMIREZ MAGAÑA (ad interim)
          Netherlands:                         Frans ENGERING
          New Zealand:                         Adrian MACEY
          Norway:                              Tanya H. STORM
          Poland:                              Jan BIELAWSKI
          Portugal:                            Basílio HORTA
          Slovak Republic:                     Dusan BELLA
          Spain:                               Elena PISONERO
          Sweden:                              Gun-Britt ANDERSSON
          Switzerland:                         Wilhelm JAGGI
          Turkey:                              Sencar ÖZSOY
          United Kingdom:                      David LYSCOM
          United States:                       Constance A. MORELLA
          European Commission                  John MADDISON

The Executive Committee prepares the work of the Council. It is also called upon to carry out specific tasks where necessary. Apart from its regular meetings, the Committee meets occasionally in "Special Sessions" attended by senior government officials.

The Council may establish subsidiary bodies as required to achieve the aims of the Organisation. These bodies are usually called Committees, which in turn may establish Working Parties to cope with specific problems or conduct specific studies. One or two of the Working Parties have assumed great importance, e.g., Working Party No. 3 of the Economic Policy Committee on Policies for the Promotion of Better International Payments Equilibrium.

Normally, all member countries are members of the Committees and Working Parties, but some of them are of a restricted nature, in which case only some countries are represented.

There are also various other committees and subsidiary bodies in the fields of agriculture, fisheries, energy policy, environment, industry, steel, maritime transport, manpower and social affairs, education, restrictive business practices, consumer policy, science and technology, information, computer and communications policy, tourism, urban affairs, etc. Moreover, autonomous and semi-autonomous bodies have been set up within the framework of the Organisation, namely, the International Energy Agency (described below), the Nuclear Energy Agency, the Development Centre (described below), and the Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI). The OECD also includes the "Sahel and West Africa Club". An informal forum for exchanges of views attuned to African thinking the Sahel and West Africa Club facilitates links between North and South and between private and public sectors. Promoter of change, it works towards improving development assistance. With its "West Africa" slant, it encourages the southern partners to control their own development and shape their own strategies. (Director: Normand LAUZON).

         Executive Director:      ...  Claude MANDIL

Headquarters
9, rue de la Fédération                           Telephone:  [33]1 4057-6500
F-75739 Paris CEDEX 15                            Facsimile:  [33]1 4057-6509
France                                            Internet:   www.iea.org

The International Energy Agency was set up, within the framework of OECD, on November 15, 1974. Its task is to carry out a comprehensive program of cooperation in the energy field. To this end, the members of the IEA have agreed to an International Energy Programme which encompasses (l) an allocation scheme in times of emergency, including emergency reserve and demand restraint obligations; (2) an extensive information system on the international oil market; (3) consultation with oil companies; (4) long-term cooperation on energy covering notably programs on energy conservation and the development of alternative energy sources; and (5) relations with producer countries and other consumer countries.

Participating countries in the Agency are: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States. The European Commission also participates in the work of the IEA.

         Director:               ...  Luis ECHÁVARRI

Headquarters
Le Seine St. Germain                              Telephone:  [33]1 4524-1010
12 Boulevard des Iles                             Facsimile:  [33]1 4524-1110
F-92130 Issy-Les-Moulineaux                       Internet:   www.nea.fr
France

The Nuclear Energy Agency was established in 1958 as the OEEC European Nuclear Energy Agency and became the Nuclear Energy Agency on 20 April 1972 when non-European countries became members. The object of the Agency is to contribute to the development of nuclear energy as a safe, environmentally-acceptable and economical energy source through cooperation among its participating countries. The Agency pursues this objective through a balanced program addressing key issues, such as nuclear safety and licensing, radioactive waste management, radiation protection, economics and technology of the nuclear fuel cycle, nuclear science, nuclear law and liability, and public information. The NEA Data Bank offers scientific services to a wide range of users in laboratories, industry and universities within and outside the OECD area.

Participating countries in the Agency are Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.

         Director:               ...  Louka T. KATSELI

Headquarters
94, rue Chardon-Lagache                           Telephone:  [33]14524-8200
75016 Paris CEDEX                                 Facsimile:  [33]14524-7943
France                                            Internet:   www.oecd.org/dev/

The Development Centre was established by decision of the OECD Council on October 23, 1962, to bring together the knowledge and experience available in member countries of the OECD of both economic development and the formulation and execution of economic policy, and to place such knowledge and experience at the disposal of developing countries as adapted to their needs. Though an integral part of the Organisation, the Development Centre has an autonomous position which enables it to enjoy scientific independence. It works on questions of concern to the developing countries, while it also takes the concerns of its member governments into account. Its activities include research on basic development problems, such as employment, international division of labor in the industrial sectors, technology and industrialization, social development, and demography. The Centre cooperates with other bodies of the OECD and with other international organizations dealing with development matters.

          Members:                   ...   All member countries (except Australia
                                           Hungary, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Poland,
                                           Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States) 
                                           plus Chile and India

GENERAL PUBLICATIONS