Financial Transparency Coalition

MADRID—Representatives from Eurodad, a member of the Task Force on Financial Integrity and Economic Development, took the floor at the Repsol shareholders meeting on April 30 in Madrid and called on the firm to support a country by country reporting standard for the extractive industry. Repsol is the world’s 15th largest petroleum refining company.

Statement by Marta Ruiz, Policy and Advocacy Officer for Eurodad at the Repsol Sharholders Assembly in Madrid on April 30 2010.

Standing at the pump, watching the numbers tick away, do you ever wonder where the money goes? You're not alone: People on the other end of the pipeline are wondering too. While we feel the pinch in our pockets, citizens of oil-producing countries are often not seeing the profits.

The Energy Security Through Transparency (ESTT) Act takes important steps towards reversing the resource curse by revealing payments made here and abroad to governments for oil, gas and minerals. The resource curse describes a phenomenon in which countries with rich natural resource endowments often end up with high rates of poverty, corruption, conflict, and poor governance rather than prosperity. Good governance in extractive industries contribute to a better domestic investment climate for U.S. businesses, increase the reliability of commodity supplies, promote greater U.S. energy security and thereby strengthen our national security.