The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)'s  key goals in its member countries are to:

• support sustainable economic growth
• boost employment
• raise living standards
• maintain financial stability
• assist other countries' economic development
• contribute to growth in world trade.

Set up in 1961 it now has 30 member countries.  

The UK is the fourth largest contributor to the OECD budget - £18.65 million in 2007.  Unlike the World Bank or the International Monetary Fund, the OECD does not dispense money.  Instead, it acts as an  forum for policy discussion and analysis, underpinned by high quality research.

It provides a setting where governments can compare policy experiences, seek answers to common problems, identify good practice and coordinate domestic and international policies.

Comparable statistics

For more than 40 years, the OECD has been one of the world's largest sources of comparable statistics, and economic and social data. It also monitors trends, analyses and forecasts economic developments and researches social changes, evolving patterns in trade, environment, agriculture, technology and taxation.

The recently appointed Secretary-General, Angel Gurria, wants to broaden the OECD's activities to address the challenges and opportunities of globalisation.

UK Delegation

The UK delegation oversees our relationship with the OECD, monitoring the work of its committees and negotiating and lobbying on behalf of the UK.