Today, 9 December 2025, marks exactly 15 years since Estonia became a full member of the Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development (OECD). This was an important step for Estonia in international cooperation and economic policy‑making. Now Estonia is sharing its accession experience with Ukraine, which is currently in the process of joining.
“OECD membership has given Estonia the opportunity to sit at the table where global economic policy rules are shaped. It has confirmed that Estonia is a reliable partner capable of contributing to international cooperation,” said Jüri Seilenthal, Estonia’s Permanent Representative to the OECD.
According to him, Ukraine is currently in the process of joining the OECD, and to support this, the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently organised a seminar for Ukraine to share Estonia’s accession experience. “Ukraine’s accession to the OECD is a strategic step that will strengthen the transparency and credibility of its economy. Estonia’s experience shows that the key factor is readiness for open dialogue and securing the support of other member states,” Seilenthal noted.
One of the main pieces of advice that Estonia gave was that all necessary reforms should be carried out as quickly as possible. “Although it is difficult, it pays off abundantly later,” Seilenthal added.
The OECD is a forum of industrially developed democratic states, headquartered in Paris. The organisation was established on 30 September 1961 as the successor to the Organisation for European Economic Co‑operation. The OECD currently has 38 member states. The most recent country to join was Costa Rica in 2021, and the organisation is headed by Australian Secretary‑General Mathias Cormann.
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