Romania has received formal approval from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in the field of competition, marking a significant step in the country's ongoing accession process to the organization. 

This approval follows a thorough evaluation by the OECD's Competition Committee, which reviewed Romania's competition policies and practices from 2018 to 2022. The evaluation confirmed Romania's commitment and capability to align with OECD's legal frameworks and standards in the area of competition, as outlined in the country's roadmap for OECD membership. 

The President of the Competition Council, Bogdan Chirițoiu, emphasized the significance of this achievement: "Passing this test demonstrates the professionalism of our specialists. The evaluation report includes some long-term recommendations, but these will not hinder our accession process; rather, they will allow us to improve our activities." 

The OECD's evaluation report highlighted recommendations for the future, particularly regarding the appointment of members to the Competition Council based on competency and the setting of fines in recognition of guilt procedures. 

Romania is expected to report on the implementation of these recommendations in a year. 

Throughout this process, the Romanian Competition Council was supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE). The discussions on the evaluation report were attended by a delegation from the MAE, led by Luca Niculescu, the national coordinator for Romania's OECD accession, and Adrian Vierița, the ambassador in charge of the accession process. 

Romania's journey towards OECD membership has been a long-standing priority following its successful integration into NATO and the European Union. The country has been an associate member of the OECD Competition Committee since 2014, benefiting from the exchange of best practices to enhance competition protection and promotion.

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Facebook/Consiliul Concurentei)