diff --git a/opentelemetry-api/src/opentelemetry/resources/__init__.py b/opentelemetry-api/src/opentelemetry/resources/__init__.py
index d853a7bcf6..0d1e34dddb 100644
--- a/opentelemetry-api/src/opentelemetry/resources/__init__.py
+++ b/opentelemetry-api/src/opentelemetry/resources/__init__.py
@@ -11,3 +11,42 @@
 # WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
+
+import abc
+import typing
+
+
+class Resource(abc.ABC):
+    """The interface that resources must implement."""
+    @staticmethod
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def create(labels: typing.Dict[str, str]) -> "Resource":
+        """Create a new resource.
+
+        Args:
+            labels: the labels that define the resource
+
+        Returns:
+            The resource with the labels in question
+
+        """
+    @property
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def labels(self) -> typing.Dict[str, str]:
+        """Return the label dictionary associated with this resource.
+
+        Returns:
+            A dictionary with the labels of the resource
+
+        """
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def merge(self, other: typing.Optional["Resource"]) -> "Resource":
+        """Return a resource with the union of labels for both resources.
+
+        Labels that exist in the main Resource take precedence unless the
+        label value is the empty string.
+
+        Args:
+            other: The resource to merge in
+
+        """
diff --git a/opentelemetry-sdk/src/opentelemetry/sdk/resources/__init__.py b/opentelemetry-sdk/src/opentelemetry/sdk/resources/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b488c0a0c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/opentelemetry-sdk/src/opentelemetry/sdk/resources/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+# Copyright 2019, OpenTelemetry Authors
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+import opentelemetry.resources as resources
+
+
+class Resource(resources.Resource):
+    def __init__(self, labels):
+        self._labels = labels
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def create(labels):
+        return Resource(labels)
+
+    @property
+    def labels(self):
+        return self._labels
+
+    def merge(self, other):
+        if other is None:
+            return self
+        if not self._labels:
+            return other
+        merged_labels = self.labels.copy()
+        for key, value in other.labels.items():
+            if key not in merged_labels or merged_labels[key] == "":
+                merged_labels[key] = value
+        return Resource(merged_labels)
+
+    def __eq__(self, other: object) -> bool:
+        if not isinstance(other, Resource):
+            return False
+        return self.labels == other.labels
diff --git a/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/resources/__init__.py b/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/resources/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e69de29bb2
diff --git a/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/resources/test_init.py b/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/resources/test_init.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..953b4c2517
--- /dev/null
+++ b/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/resources/test_init.py
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+import unittest
+from opentelemetry.sdk import resources
+
+
+class TestResources(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_resource_merge(self):
+        left = resources.Resource({"service": "ui"})
+        right = resources.Resource({"host": "service-host"})
+        self.assertEqual(
+            left.merge(right),
+            resources.Resource({
+                "service": "ui",
+                "host": "service-host"
+            }))
+
+    def test_resource_merge_empty_string(self):
+        """Verify Resource.merge behavior with the empty string.
+
+        Labels from the source Resource take precedence, with
+        the exception of the empty string.
+
+        """
+        left = resources.Resource({"service": "ui", "host": ""})
+        right = resources.Resource({
+            "host": "service-host",
+            "service": "not-ui"
+        })
+        self.assertEqual(
+            left.merge(right),
+            resources.Resource({
+                "service": "ui",
+                "host": "service-host"
+            }))