Brussels, 02/12/2009 (Agence Europe) - The European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have agreed to share their expertise in support of economic co-operation and sustainable development in industrialised and developing countries. EIB President Philippe Maystadt and OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria signed a cooperation agreement to that effect in Paris last week.
Specifically, the two institutions have agreed to cooperate by sharing knowledge in the areas of: research and innovation; development policy and related financing issues; regional policy, including sustainable urban development; private sector development, including financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and public-private partnerships (PPPs); corporate social responsibility and anti-corruption and anti-fraud policies; environmental sustainability and the economics of climate change.
To promote collaboration on urban development, Poland has been selected by the EIB and OECD for a pilot exercise that could be extended to other countries or regions. The EIB has invited the OECD to be partners in an Urban Platform for Poland - a research network for urban development issues in that country - and the OECD has suggested the EIB participate in meetings to prepare the OECD National Urban Policy Review of Poland.
The European Commission will be kept informed about the cooperation agreement and involved where appropriate, particularly for issues related to development assistance measurement, via its Permanent Representative at the OECD. (O.L./transl.rt)