Hungary has utilized a lot of the good practices of the OECD and its member countries over the past 20 years, but we have also enriched the organization with our own experiences, Minister of State for Financial Affairs and OECD National Commission President Ágnes Hornung said in her welcome speech at the special session held on the 20th anniversary of Hungary’s OECD membership in the grand hall of the Academy of Sciences in Budapest.
In 1996, six years after the political and economic regime change in Hungary, the OECD made a gesture towards Hungary by accepting Hungary as member of the international organization, thus acknowledging the significance and power of the country’s historic step as well as our commitment to the values of Western democracies, the Minister of State pointed out. Throughout the economic and political transformation process, the OECD has provided significant expertise for Hungary to help construct the institutional and legal framework of a market economy. At that time, being a participant in the work of an international community was recognition and opportunity at the same time, as thus we could gradually join a global knowledge base. Within the OECD, countries may get to know best practices and present aims and achievements of various policies. Even with hindsight, joining the organization can be regarded as a historic milestone from both a political and economic aspect, she stressed.
Ágnes Hornung and Hungarian Central Statistical Office President Gabriella Vukovich presented a booklet published on the occasion of the 20th anniversary. This richly illustrated brochure shows the main areas of cooperation between Hungary and the OECD as well as major events and personalities of the past two decades.
A roundtable discussion by current and former OECD ambassadors has focused on the significance of OECD membership of Hungary, while participants of a panel discussion exchanged views on a hot topic, the interaction of inclusive growth and productivity.
Several high-profile personalities who had been instrumental in Hungary’s OECD membership attended the session, among them former PM Péter Boross, former Minister for Foreign Affairs János Martonyi, former Minister of International Relations Béla Kádár, former Minister of Transport, Telecommunications and Water Management Károly Lotz as well as – besides members of the OECD National Commission and guests from the organization -- various prominent figures from Hungary’s scientific and economic circles.
(Ministry for National Economy)
