Mandate:   -   Report by the Special Meeting of the Trade Committee on Export Credits and Credit Guarantees [C(63)141, Annex].

-   Minutes of the 56th Meeting of the Council on 10th December 1963 [C/M(63)22(Final), Annex, Item 225] and Resolution of the Council adopted at its 1487th session on 16-17 December 2024 [C(2024)182].

-   Minutes of the 186th session of the Trade Committee on 14 October 2024 [TAD/TC/M(2024)3].

 

 

 

Annex II to document TAD/ECG(2024)5/FINAL

 

 

MANDATE OF THE WORKING PARTY ON EXPORT CREDITS AND CREDIT GUARANTEES

 

At its meeting on 5th and 6th November 1963, the Trade Committee considered the report of the special meeting on export credits and credit guarantees held on 23rd and 24th October 1963 [TC(63)42] and decided to set up a “Group on Export Credits and Credit Guarantees”, which was noted by the Council on 10th December 1963 [C(63)141, Annex and C/M(63)22(Final), Annex, Item 225]. The name of the Group was changed in 1998 to “Working Party on Export Credits and Credit Guarantees” [C/M(98)17/PROV and C(98)145].

I. Objectives

1.The Working Party on Export Credits and Credit Guarantees (hereafter the “ECG”) shall carry forward the work of the OECD in the field of export credits and credit guarantees. In particular, it is responsible for holding regular exchange of views on:

• the policies in this field, with the general objectives of:

o Evaluating these policies;

o Determining the problems which arise;

o Resolving or mitigating these problems by multilateral discussion;

o Promoting a level playing field; and

o Promoting coherence between countries’ policies regarding officially supported export credits, their relevant international policies, and their commitments under relevant international agreements and conventions.

• business activities in this field, with the general objectives of:

o Exchanging information on export credit programmes and products; and

o Collecting and maintaining statistical and empirical information on export credits.

2.Further objectives should be to aim, on the basis of experience acquired from the exchange of views, at:

• Working out common guiding principles;

• Developing and supporting the implementation of OECD standards in the area of export credits; and

• Considering all possibilities of improving co-operation between countries in this field by such means as prior consultation, prior notification and/or a question-and-answer procedure or by other suitable means.

II. Working methods

3.In order to achieve these objectives, the ECG shall:

• facilitate the exchange of views;

• make all necessary arrangements for the collection and management of the information required;

• periodically review its information system and make whatever improvements may be necessary.

4.The ECG shall have full latitude and discretion to pursue its work and to determine the frequency and manner of its reporting. When the reports of the ECG call for action by the Organisation as such, they shall be forwarded in toto to the Council, with any comments the Trade Committee may wish to make.

III. Coordination arrangements

5.In order to efficiently implement its objectives, the ECG shall:

• take account of the work in other relevant OECD bodies, and establish appropriate liaison between the work arising from the exchange of views envisaged and the work of those bodies, in particular with the Development Assistance Committee (DAC);

• co-operate with other international organisations, such as the World Trade Organization (WTO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group; and

• consult and share information, as appropriate, with relevant stakeholders on matters related to export credits, such as the International Union of Credit and Investment Insurers (the Berne Union), Business at OECD (BIAC) and the Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC), as well as civil society stakeholders.

IV. Composition

6.The ECG is composed of senior government officials with a major responsibility in the formulation of policies in this field, accompanied by senior officials of the export credits and credit insurance institutions. It is open to Members and invited non‑Members, which have in existence facilities for financing or guaranteeing export credits that are controlled or assisted, directly or indirectly, by government or para‑governmental bodies; representatives of the European Union may attend the meetings of the ECG.