The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organization of those developed countries that accept the principles of representative democracy and a free market economy. It originated as the Organization for European Economy Co-operation (OEEC), to help administer the Marshall Plan for the re-construction of Europe after World War II. Later its membership was extended to non-European states, and in 1961 it was reformed into the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Since 1996 the secretary-general of the OECD has been Donald J. Johnston of Canada.

The OECD's headquarters are at the Château de la Muette in Paris, using a building acquired from the Rothschild family.

Members

There are currently thirty full members; of these, 24 are described as high-income countries by the World Bank in 2003. Countries that became members of the OECD in 1961 do not have dates after their names. Other nations are listed with their years of admission.

The Commission of the European Union is participating in the work of OECD, alongside the EU Member States.

See also

• Frascati Manual
• Trade bloc

External links

• http://www.oecd.org