Recent Trends in OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and their Implications: Focusing on Korea NCP's Countermeasures Strategy for Peer Review

OECD 다국적기업 가이드라인의 국제적 동향과 시사점: 한국 NCP의 동료평가(Peer Review) 대응방안을 중심으로

OECD MNE Guidelines ('OECD Guidelines') was set forth in 1976 as a form of annex to the OECD Declaration on International Investment and Multinational Enterprises. The objective of the OECD Guidelines is to fulfill the implementation and adoption of the Responsible Business Conduct ('RBC') among the adhering states. To further the effectiveness of the OECD Guidelines, OECD, specifically the Investment Committee of OECD, has utilized National Contact Point ('NCP') structure. According to the Procedural Guidance annexed to the OECD Guidelines, peer learning is prescribed as an important tool for promoting and facilitating the implementation procedures of the OECD Guidelines. This paper, inter alia, is mainly focusing on the peer review mechanism applicable to NCPs because negative assessments by peers are likely to harm Korea's state image and entail international criticisms even though such reviews are conducted voluntarily. In addition, the Working Party on Responsible Business Conduct ('WPRBC') decided to have a peer review of Korean NCP in 2019. This paper first outlines the meaning and current applications of the peer review mechanism, and then analyzes specific peer review cases conducted in Denmark and Belgium in 2015, and in 2016, respectively. Lastly, based on the issues handled in the peer review reports on the above states, this paper makes a few recommendations for Korean government to prepare the peer review scheduled in 2019.

OECD는 투자위원회를 중심으로 각국 NCP들이 OECD 가이드라인을 효과적으로 이행하기 위한 일환으로 NCP 간 동료평가(Peer Review)를 강조하는 추세이다. 각 NCP로서는 동료평가가 자발적인 성격이라고는 하지만 부정적인 평가를 받게 되는 경우 국제적으로 많은 비난을 받을 소지가 크고 국가 이미지에도 심각한 타격을 입을 가능성이 높다. 더군다나 지난 2017년 3월, 기업책임경영에 관한 작업반(Working Party on Responsible Business Conduct) 회의에서 한국 NCP에 대하여 2019년 동료평가를 시행하기로 결정하였다. 이에 본 논문에서는 NCP 동료학습의 의의와 현황, 최근 시행되었던 덴마크와 벨기에 동료평가 사례들을 검토함으로써 우리 정부가 2019년 동료평가에 어떻게 대비해야 하는지 정책적 제언을 하고 있다.