30/05/2008

In 2007, the OECD Ministerial Council invited five countries – Chile, Estonia, Israel, Russia and Slovenia to open negotiations – to become full OECD members and decided to strengthen cooperation with Brazil, China, India, Indonesia and South Africa through enhanced engagement programmes with a view to possible membership. A year after, the OECD Ministerial Council meeting on 4-5 June 2008 will take stock of the on-going policy dialogue with the accession countries, which is expected to be complemented in 2009 or 2010.

Union leadership from the accession countries Chile, Estonia and Russia will be taking part in the TUAC delegation that meets the OECD Ministerial Council Bureau on 3 June. This will be preceded on the same day by a roundtable on the enlargement process and the views of trade union in the accession countries on the occasion of the OECD Forum 2008. The roundtable will be chaired by John Sweeney (President TUAC and AFL-CIO). Based on the TUAC position paper on the enlargement process, the roundtable discussions will include contributions by leaders of national trade union centres from Chile, Estonia and Russia.

Attachment:

• Invitation to the TUAC Roundtable (0805t_tu_flyer)
• TUAC Position Paper on the Enlargement process (0805t_tu_accession)