site.btaOECD Accession Remains Key Priority, Economy Minister Dilov Says after Meeting with Secretary-General Cormann

Minister of Economy and Industry Peter Dilov said Bulgaria has made joining the OECD a key priority and has taken all necessary steps to complete the accession process during a meeting with OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann, the Ministry of Economy press service said here on Wednesday.

Dilov is at OECD’s headquarters in Paris, where he is taking part in the annual meeting and ministerial-level sessions of the OECD Council. He also held a working meeting with the Director of the Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities (CFE) at the OECD, Lamia Kamal-Chaoui.

At this meeting, Dilov and Kamal-Chaoui discussed deepening Bulgaria’s cooperation with the OECD in the area of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Dilov noted that SMEs are the backbone of the Bulgarian economy, accounting for 99% of companies in the country.

According to him, the Ministry of Economy and Industry, as the leading institution which guides, coordinates and oversees the implementation of national SME policy, works actively on key topics such as digitalization, entrepreneurship, access to finance, and simplification of regulations for SMEs.

During the meeting with Kamal-Chaoui, Dilov stressed that raising the competitiveness and sustainability of SMEs is among the main priorities.

At the meeting, it was noted that, through collaboration with the OECD Centre for SMEs and Entrepreneurship, a project proposal has been developed to support green transition measures for SMEs.

Earlier on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev and OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann signed an agreement on privileges and immunities granted to the OECD during the Ministerial Council Meeting in Paris. The agreement, an essential step towards accession, highlights Bulgaria’s commitment to joining the organization and ensures the OECD can operate independently within Bulgarian territory.

During the forum, Georgiev reaffirmed the government’s dedication to OECD membership and described innovation and people-centred development as key priorities for the country’s growth.