Advisory Group on the Analysis of the OECD Guidelines

On May 12, the Kazakhstan office of the National Contact Point of the Economic Research Institute JSC (ERI) participated in the fifth meeting of the advisory group on the analysis of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.

The meeting focused on the Council Decision and the provisions of the Procedural Guidelines for the Oversight of the National Contact Center Network.

The OECD Secretariat has prepared a working paper outlining options for possible targeted updates to the provisions of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (hereinafter the OECD Guidelines) for discussion in the advisory group, and was made available only to members and associates of the OECD Working Group on Responsible Business Conduct, i.e., adherents of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.

The objectives of the proposed updates to the OECD Guidelines are:

• Maintain the effectiveness and functional equivalence of the OECD Guidelines.
• Simplify, systematize, and strengthen oversight mechanisms for the network of National Contact Points.
• Organization of the system around three complementary oversight mechanisms:

 - expert evaluations;

 - requests for clarification;

 - reasoned submissions.

• Clarifying the role of the OECD Investment Committee, the OECD Working Party on Responsible Business Conduct, and the OECD Secretariat.

Following the presentation, the Secretariat initiated a discussion with all participants of the workshop on the analysis of the OECD Guidelines, where delegates expressed their views on the intended updates and provided comments on the wording of the OECD Guidelines.

At the end of the event, participants expressed their gratitude for the effective discussions during the meeting.

For reference: 

The NCC is a collegial advisory body that makes decisions on appeals concerning violations of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, including issues of information disclosure, human rights, labor and industrial relations, combating bribery, bribery and extortion, environmental protection, consumer interests, science and technology, competition and taxation.

The functions of the NCC Secretariat in Kazakhstan are performed by the Economic Research Institute JSC.