The Employment, Labor and Social Affairs Committee (ELSA), which evaluates policies linked to the labor market, and the social and labor sector in Costa Rica’s joining process to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), issued a favorable formal opinion regarding the possibility of the country becoming a member of the organization.

This positive decision was made after a thorough analysis performed by OECD experts and member countries, regarding Costa Rica’s capacity and disposition to apply the Organization’s legal instruments in terms of employment, labor and social affairs, as well as on the country’s policies and practices in their area, compared to the ones of the entity.

The Ministry of Labor and Social Security has led this assessment process, with the technical support of several institutions, including the Ministry of Human Development and Social Inclusion, the National Learning Institute (INA), the Costa Rican Social Security Institute (CCSS), the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC), and the General Direction of Migration and Foreign Affairs.

During the process, the country completed a number of questionnaires, and built a large amount of statistical information linked to the functioning of its labor and social policies during the past few years.

In addition, the country was visited by a Technical Mission, headed by Stefano Scarpetta, Director of Employment, Labor, and Social Affairs of the OECD, which held meetings with several representatives from the government, trade unions, and business associations, who were thoroughly questioned on ELSA matters.

With this acknowledgement, particularly on recent reforms and actions that Costa Rica has undergone to improve labor and social policies, the country has reached six favorable decisions in the joining process, which was started in 2015.

The Minister of Labor and Social Security, Alfredo Hasbum Camacho, showed satisfaction for the work accomplished, and pointed out that “the success attained was due to the articulated work developed by several institutions during these past seventeen months”.

The OECD evaluation highlights the political stability and the accumulated social progress of Costa Rica, pointing out major achievements in the fields of education, healthcare and social protection.  It also states that the biggest challenges the country faces to remain in the path of growth with social development, are the need to improve economic performance, reducing production costs, and improving infrastructure. It adds that the country must optimize the functioning of the labor market and invest on developing human talent, as well as providing more opportunities of decent work to young people and women.

“The OECD has acknowledged the country’s efforts in terms of education and technical training, with the modernization of our labor legislation, particularly due to the implementation of the Labor Reform and the expansion of social security, which nowadays reaches groups of people historically excluded, such as domestic workers”, said the Minister.

Costa Rica’s process to become an OECD member is being led by the Ministry of Foreign Trade.

The OECD has the mission of promoting policies that improve economic and social welfare all over the world; it provides a space where governments share experiences, develop public policy and work together to solve common and global problems.