Romania could receive a membership invitation to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in May, according to unofficial sources from the Finance Ministry quoted by Hotnews.ro.

Similar expectations were voiced last September, but a diplomatic conflict with Hungary (settled meanwhile) resulted in the postponement of the invitation.

Romania could join the OECD as a full member in six months after receiving the invitation, according to the same sources.

According to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, after the members agree to launch a new "wave of enlargement", the OECD Council adopts the formal decision to launch accession invitations and start negotiations, based on an accession calendar.

The latest such wave of enlargement was launched in 2013 when the ministerial meeting of the OECD Council decided to immediately initiate negotiations to draft the conditions and timetable for the accession of Colombia and Latvia (Latvia joined in 2016). The organization also decided to evaluate the progress of Lithuania and Costa Rica with a view of launching the membership invitation in 2015 (in April 2015, Costa Rica and Lithuania received the official invitation to join).

editor@romania-insider.com

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