Germany reaffirms support for Romania’s OECD accession

Germany has reaffirmed its strong support for Romania’s bid to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), underscoring the country’s progress toward meeting international standards in governance, transparency, and economic development. The German Embassy in Bucharest announced that ambassador Angela Ganninger conveyed Berlin’s backing during her introductory meeting with Luca Niculescu, Romania’s Secretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and national coordinator for the accession process.

“Through OECD membership, Romania can become more attractive for foreign direct investment. The organisation’s standards also guarantee greater transparency and predictability, which are highly valued by German companies already operating in Romania, as well as those considering investments here,” the embassy stated in a message on social media.

Germany has long championed Romania’s integration into the OECD, describing it as a natural step in consolidating the country’s position within the global economy.

The German message came as Romania recorded a significant milestone in its accession journey.

On Tuesday, August 26, the Ministry of Education and Research, together with the National Research Authority, announced that the OECD’s Committee for Science and Technology Policy (CSTP) had issued its Formal Opinion on Romania, Agerpres reported. The endorsement confirms both the country’s ability to implement OECD legal instruments in the fields of science and technology and the alignment of its national policies with international standards.

According to the ministry, the decision followed a comprehensive evaluation process that involved specialized working groups, including the National Experts on Science and Technology Indicators (NESTI) and the Biotechnology, Nanotechnology, and Converging Technologies group (BNCT). Their assessments not only validated Romania’s compliance with OECD criteria but also included recommendations for the medium- and long-term development of the national research and innovation system.

“After education, I am glad we have also completed the accession process on the research side - Romania’s new national project after NATO, the European Union, and the Recovery and Resilience Plan,” said education minister Daniel David.

Luca Niculescu, the Foreign Ministry official coordinating the accession process, underlined the importance of this step, calling it the 15th Formal Opinion Romania has received since the beginning of accession talks. “This confirms the very good momentum we have achieved so far and the determination to continue our efforts on the path toward OECD membership,” he said.