Financial Transparency Coalition

BRUSSELS - In an open letter addressed to the European Union (EU) president, the EU presidency and the European commission, 50 MEPs from 4 different political parties (S&D, Greens, Gue/Nordic Left and ALDE) call for “a moratorium on EU public financing for mining projects until adequate standards and regulations are in place.”

OSLO, Norway – Global Financial Integrity Director Raymond Baker delivered remarks today on the importance of transparency in the extractive industries at the “Global Investors for Financial Transparency” meeting in Oslo, Norway. Mr. Baker focused on the importance of country-by-country reporting requirements for oil, gas, and mining companies. Attendees included high-level Norwegian and EU elected officials, regulators, investors, and representatives of the Oslo Stock Exchange.

The Hong Kong Stock Exchange’s listing agreement says:

In addition to the information set out in Appendix 1A, a Mineral Company must include in its listing document……if relevant and material to the Mineral Company’s business operations, information on the following:— (c) compliance with host country laws, regulations and permits, and payments made to host country governments in respect of tax, royalties and other significant payments on a country by country basis;

Note the reference to country-by-country reporting. I stress, the data referred to here is on past performance. There is a separate requiremnt that these payments also be projected.

Delaying Release of Final Rules on Extractive Industries Disclosure Law Will Hurt Developing Countries, Could Weaken Enforcement The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced in April that the final rules for Section 1504 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection act could be delayed until sometime between August and December 2011, at the earliest.  Once enacted, Section 1504 would require companies operating in the oil, gas and mining industries (the extractive industries) that have to report to the SEC, which includes—at a minimum—all such companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges, to report payments made to the...