5th Meeting of the OSCE Economic Forum

• the relationship to economic development
• implications for security and stability

Delegates underlined their commitment to the market economy. It was noted that the rule of law was a precondition for establishing a market economy. However, the rule of law should be seen as an ongoing rather than a completed process, very much dependent on historical and cultural differences.

Confidence-building was identified as a key objective in economic legislation and its implementation. Only when economic operators are confident that their efforts and results will be protected by the legal system are they likely to display their skills in an optimal way. On the other hand there is a need for the private sector to know the requirements that the legal system places on their activities so that they may carry out adequate assessments of their business opportunities and risks.

The relevance of the theme to the work in the OSCE on addressing risks and challenges to security was underlined. The links between the existence of the rule of law and national as well as international security was illustrated, inter alia, by recent developments in one participating State. The OSCE has a role to play in addressing these risks and challenges. The political role of the OSCE in giving impetus to competent international institutions was underlined.