109 HRES 38 IH: Expressing support for the accession of Israel to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). U.S. House of Representatives 2005-01-06 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV 109th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 38 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 6, 2005 Ms. Ros-Lehtinen (for herself, Mr. Crowley, and Mrs. Jo Ann Davis of Virginia) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations RESOLUTION Expressing support for the accession of Israel to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Whereas Israel has been trying to join the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) since 2000, when it met the OECD’s membership requirements relating to industrial and per-capita product criteria; Whereas in 2004, Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom and Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu sent a joint letter to the foreign and finance ministers of the 30 member countries of the OECD, stating that Israel’s involvement as a non-member country in the OECD’s various committees is increasing, and that Israel meets the economic and institutional criteria required to join the OECD; Whereas in October 2004, Israeli Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu stated that joining the OECD was of strategic importance for repositioning Israel’s economy from an emerging market to a developed one, adding that membership in the OECD would attract foreign investment; Whereas in August 2004, the Israel Laboratory Accreditation Authority was invited to become a full member of the OECD Environment Policy Committee, the first committee that Israel has been invited to join as a full member; Whereas Israel was asked to take part in the OECD’s Insurance and Commerce Committees; Whereas the World Bank ranks Israel among the 25 countries in which it is easiest to do business; Whereas Israel’s tax burden, encompassing income and property taxes, customs duties, value-added taxes (VAT) and national insurance, is much lower than in most OECD member countries; Whereas membership in the OECD could enhance Israel’s status on the global market and within international financial institutions, lowering the risk factor on foreign loans to Israel; Whereas Israel’s economic and technological standing could potentially benefit OECD member countries in the science and technology, including high-technology, sectors; Whereas in 2003, the World Economic Forum ranked Israel 20th out of 102 countries in its Growth Competitiveness Index, and the World Economic Forum’s Technology Index ranked Israel 9th, before Canada (11th), Norway (13th), Germany (14th), the United Kingdom (16th), and the Netherlands (18th); and Whereas Israel is carrying out far reaching economic reforms based on the OECD’s recommendations with respect to taxes, labor, competition, capital markets, pension funds, energy, infrastructures, communications, and transport: Now, therefore, be it

That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that— (1)Israel shares the commitment to democratic government and the market economy that is the foundation of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD); (2)Israel meets the OECD’s membership requirements and has been an active participant as a non-member country in various OECD activities, such as adherence to the OECD Declaration on International Investment and Multinational Enterprises; and (3)the United States Government should support and advocate the accession of Israel to the OECD, including through coordination of efforts with Mexico, Great Britain, and other countries supportive of Israel’s membership in the OECD.