Mexico Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has as an objective to provide a forum of cooperation for governments to work together and cooperate in “seeking solutions to common problems, share experiences, and identify best practices to promote better polices for better living.” ( OECD, 2014). Issues commonly being addressed by the OECD are governance, the fight against bribery and corruption, corporate responsibility, development, international investment, taxes, and the environment among others. The organization includes 34 members and Mexico became member in 1994 by signing the Convention and compromising to achieving the Organization’s aims (OECD, 2014).

Mexico is one of the three emerging countries that have a membership in the OECD alongside Chile and Turkey. In general, OECD has as members many of the world’s most advanced economies. The OECD accession process is complex and can be long, as the OECD website states it involves a series of examinations to validate a country meets OECD standards in a “wide range of policy areas” (2015). Countries need to adhere to the organization’s fundamental values that include:

1. A commitment to pluralist democracy based on the rule of law and respect for human rights

2. Adherence to open and transparent market economy principles;

3. Shared goal of sustainable development

According to Carroll and Kellow, each of these values are associated with a complex set of associated policies and institutions and attitudes (2011). More importantly, per the authors of The OECD : A Study of Organizational adaptation, countries commencing accession in the 200’s faced a greater number of specific requirements than in the 60s or 70s, and the extent and type of policy transfer necessary for one country to satisfy members that it possess and is committed to the three values has to be made explicit and will vary for each individual case (2011). Therefore, the requirements for instance for Mexico to join in 1994 might have varied from the requirements made to Chile in 2007, when this country joined OECD. In 1994 when Mexico joined it was a democracy, and it was clearly an opened market economy and its GDP was slightly higher than Turkey a requirement according to Rhoda and Burton (2010), therefore it met the criteria to join.

The Accession Process involves a decision from the Organization’s Council to decide to open accession discussion with a country and fixing the terms, and conditions and process for this to happen. These agreements are set in a Roadmap for each country to comply and gain membership. Because of this complex process it makes it difficult for more than a small number of members to join at the same time. For instance the last 4 countries that joined, Chile, Estonia, Israel, and Slovenia began the process in 2007 and joined in 2010, alongside the Russian Federation that has not been able to join as of today ( OECD, 2015). For instance, while Mexico has a lower GDP per capita, 10,307 USD, than Russia, 14, 611.70 USD or Brazil, 11,208.08 USD, (World Bank, 2015) they do not meet other criteria or have no interest to become a member in the short time for different reasons. ). In the case of Russia, they presented an application to join in 1996 and throughout more than 11 years work was done jointly with positive results including issued of competition, scientific and technical policy among others (BBC, 2010). However, according to The Wall Street Journal a statement was released postponing the activities of Russia’s accession process and considering Ukraine’s request to join, and some of the main concerns were Russia’s compliance with key provisions of the organization’s ant bribery convention (Horobin, 2014). On the other hand Brazil’s case is different. According to Matthew Schewel, the OECD is seen by some as somewhat of a “rich man’s club” therefore, membership would be especially difficult for Brazilian politicians to convey (2010). However, they do have established special partnership with the organization as key partners, along China, India, Indonesia, and South Africa, that by signing an Enhance Engagement agreement are preparing for possible future membership.

It is important to consider, that as OECD Deputy Secretary General Richard Boucher stated: “The goal of OECD is not to have a large number of members but that we incorporate the systemic, too-big-to-fail countries” (Schewel, 2010), there it is difficult for any country to join, and it is important that the country shares the OECD objectives, “like-mindedness”. While there might be other countries in Latin America that comply with the criteria and have slightly larger economies than Mexico it is unlikely other countries besides Brazil would be asked to join the organization because these and other different reasons.

Mexico fully participates as a member of the OECD in discussion regarding economic, social and environmental issues, policies and best practices. On its part, the OECD collects and

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