OECD Policy Influence Spans Global Tax, Health, and Gender Equity

PARIS (Azat TV) – The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) continues to serve as a pivotal knowledge hub, shaping international standards and policy decisions across critical global challenges, including corporate taxation, public health, and social equity. Recent developments in 2026 underscore the OECD’s ongoing influence as nations grapple with complex issues ranging from implementing global minimum tax regimes to combating antibiotic resistance and addressing persistent gender disparities in scientific fields.

As an international forum dedicated to improving quality of life through evidence-based policies, the OECD leverages cross-country research and country-specific expertise to provide benchmarks and recommendations that directly impact national strategies and international cooperation.

OECD and the Global Minimum Tax Implementation

A significant area of the OECD’s influence is the Global Minimum Tax (GMT) regime, also known as GloBE or OECD BEPS 2.0 Pillar 2, which has become a firm reality in the global tax landscape by 2026. This internationally agreed-upon minimum rate of corporate income tax, set at 15%, was established by the OECD to prevent a ‘race to the bottom’ in national tax rates, aiming to ensure large multinational companies pay their fair share of tax wherever they operate.

The implementation of GMT demands sophisticated data management and reporting capabilities from approximately 10,000 multinational companies worldwide. According to a 2025 Thomson Reuters State of the Corporate Tax Department report, 58% of tax departments are currently under-resourced, and 57% describe their technology posture as chaotic or reactive, even as they face expanded data collection requirements. The OECD’s framework necessitates gathering more granular data from multiple business areas, on tighter timelines, and across various tax rules, often from fragmented and inconsistently formatted sources. Addressing these challenges requires a coordinated approach combining technology, process, and governance improvements, highlighting the operational complexities stemming from the OECD’s policy initiatives. Investment in integrated technology ecosystems and centralized data warehouses is crucial for streamlining GMT compliance workflows, as noted by Thomson Reuters.

OECD Benchmarks in Public Health: Korea’s Antibiotic Challenge

The OECD’s role as a data and analysis provider is also crucial in addressing global health threats, such as antimicrobial resistance (AMR). On February 25, 2026, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced its ‘3rd National Antimicrobial Resistance Management Plan (2026-2030),’ directly referencing OECD data to highlight the urgency of the situation. Commissioner Im Seunggwan stated that antibiotic resistance in Korea is a national health threat, with projected deaths from AMR surging from an estimated 22,000 in 2021 to around 60,000 in 30 years if current trends continue.

Korea’s antibiotic use in 2023 was 31.8 Defined Daily Doses (DID) per 1,000 inhabitants per day, approximately 1.6 times higher than the OECD average of 19.5 DID. Furthermore, the resistance rate of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Korea stood at 45.2% in 2023, significantly exceeding the global average of 27.1%. These comparisons against OECD and global benchmarks underscore the severity of Korea’s situation and inform the country’s comprehensive management plan, which includes expanding Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs (ASP) in hospitals and regulating antibiotic use in non-human sectors like agriculture and fisheries, adopting a ‘One Health’ approach.

OECD Data Illuminates Gender Disparities in Science

In its efforts to promote inclusive development, the OECD provides critical data that reveals disparities in social and economic participation. On February 11, 2026, the Korean Federation of Women’s Science and Technology Associations released the “2026 Global Status Diagnosis of Women in Science and Technology,” which used OECD data to benchmark South Korea’s progress and challenges.

The report indicated that as of 2024, South Korean women’s higher education completion rate was 54.9%, surpassing the OECD average. However, the proportion of female researchers in 2023 was 23.7%, remaining below the OECD average. More strikingly, the percentage of women with doctoral degrees in STEM fields ranked 37th out of 38 countries. This decline is attributed to societal perceptions that often lead women to leave these fields after undergraduate studies. The report also highlighted South Korea’s Gender Social Norms Index (GSNI) score of 89.9%, significantly higher than the OECD average, with the economic bias index being four times higher than the OECD average, pointing to severe constraints on women’s hiring and promotions. Such data provides an evidence-based foundation for countries to address systemic biases and foster a culture of gender equality, crucial for retaining talent in under-resourced scientific infrastructures, as discussed in The Chosun Ilbo.

The OECD’s continued role as a comprehensive knowledge hub and a forum for cross-country collaboration is critical for confronting complex global challenges. By providing data, analysis, and best practices, it enables member and partner countries to benchmark their performance and formulate targeted policies that respond to evolving economic, health, and social landscapes.