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The 1976 Declaration is a policy commitment by the governments of OECD member countries on International Investment and Multinational Enterprises to:
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improve the investment climate
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encourage the positive contribution multinational enterprises can make to economic and social progress
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minimise and resolve difficulties which may arise from their operations
All parts of the Declaration are subject to periodical reviews. The most recent review - completed in June 2000 - concerned the Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.
All 30 OECD member countries, and ten non-member countries have subscribed to the Declaration:
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Argentina (22 April 1997)
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Brazil (14 November 1997)
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Chile (3 October 1997)
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Egypt (11 July 2007)
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Estonia (20 September 2001)
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Israel (18 September 2002)
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Latvia (9 January 2004)
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Lithuania (20 September 2001)
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Romania (20 April 2005)
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Slovenia (22 January 2002)
The Declaration consists of four elements (each underpinned by a Decision by the OECD Council on follow-up procedures:
- The Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises are recommendations on responsible business conduct addressed by governments to multinational enterprises operating in or from adhering countries. Observance of the Guidelines is supported by a unique implementation mechanism: adhering governments - through their network of National Contact Points - are responsible for promoting the Guidelines and helping to resolve issues that arise under the specific instances procedures.
- National Treatment: A voluntary undertaking by adhering countries to accord to foreign-controlled enterprises on their territories treatment no less favourable than that accorded in like situations to domestic enterprises.
- Conflicting requirements: Adhering countries shall co-operate so as to avoid or minimise the imposition of conflicting requirements on multinational enterprises;
- International investment incentives and disincentives : adhering countries recognise the need to give due weight to the interest of adhering countries affected by laws and practices in this field; they will endeavour to make measures as transparent as possible.
Download the full text of the Declaration and Decisions in pdf or word file format.
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