Bulgaria is on track to become a full member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) by the end of 2025 or possibly early 2026. This follows the successful completion of negotiations on two major accession topics—Agriculture and Fisheries—by Bulgaria’s Agriculture Minister Georgi Tahov and his team at the OECD headquarters in Paris on April 24.

OECD membership holds great importance for Bulgaria, as it would bolster the country's global standing, open up investment opportunities, and grant access to valuable economic, educational, and policy exchanges. Bulgaria received congratulations from OECD member states for concluding talks in the agriculture and fisheries sectors, making the goal of completing the remaining accession chapters—including Trade—by the end of 2025 more achievable.

Marion Jansen, Director of the OECD's Directorate for Trade and Agriculture, highlighted that Bulgaria had successfully completed the review process of its agricultural policies, a significant step forward in its overall OECD accession process.

Since officially beginning its application three years ago, Bulgaria has completed over two-thirds of the necessary negotiations across various sectors. Agriculture and fisheries, being the most complex, were among the most challenging topics, according to Minister Tahov.

Minister Georgi Tahov expressed confidence that Bulgaria would finalize all chapters by the end of this year and officially join the OECD no later than early 2026. He emphasized that this achievement would be a significant milestone not only for the agriculture sector but also for the country’s institutional and political development.

By gaining OECD membership, Bulgaria would gain access to global data and best practices in areas like education, health, and economics. Negotiations on the remaining chapters, including trade, are set to continue in October.

In addition to Bulgaria, other countries, such as Romania and Croatia, are also applying for OECD membership, joining nations like Brazil, Argentina, and Thailand as candidates to become part of the organization, which currently has 38 member states.