Draft terms of reference for EITI network on contract transparency

In 2013, the EITI Standard began encouraging countries to publicly disclose any contracts and licenses that provide the terms attached to the exploitation of oil, gas and minerals. Five years on, over half of EITI implementing countries disclose at least some contracts, and 18 major extractive companies have made statements supporting the practice in some form.

As these changes have taken place, the debate around disclosure has shifted away from why contracts should be published towards the question of how disclosure can be achieved and what needs to be done to bring the greatest benefits.

Recognizing that these questions and challenges have been addressed in different ways by the many governments within the EITI community of practice, the EITI network on contract transparency will seek to provide a forum for governments to share experiences and examine they can achieve the expectations set out in the EITI Standard.