UK EITI Compliance subgroup meeting note, 12th March 2024

Mark Burnett                                   Mike Earp                                     Pat Foster                          

Mark Russell                                    Madeline Young                           Hedi Zaghouani                               

Mike Nash (Chair)

Update on actions from meeting previous meetings:

• Discussion paper around concerns about the commercial confidentiality of information under requirements 3.2 and 3.3 of the EITI Standard to be drafted and finalised before being tabled at the MSG meeting in May. (Action: Mark Russell agreed to provide M&Q section of the draft paper).
• Sources of data for production and exports under 3.2 and 3.3 have also been discussed by the UK EITI Reconciliation subgroup. Some good data has been identified and information added to the tracker. Both Mike Earp and colleagues from the Mining & Quarrying subgroup were thanked for their work on this.

Timeframe and ownership of requirements, expectations and encouragements of the EITI Standard

• There are 51 new requirements, expectations and encouragements in the 2023 Standard.
• It was proposed and agreed that implementation timelines and designation of responsibility should be added against each one. For example, Mike Nash will be responsible for updating the UK EITI website with links to the new data identified as part of the compliance research process.
• Currently the timelines for completion of the work ranges from June to the end of the year, but these will change as the work progresses.
• Under new requirement 4.10 relating to project costs a guidance note is currently being drafted. It was agreed that a separate discussion on this area with EITI International colleagues would be useful. (Action: Mark Burnett to arrange for a colleague to attend the next Compliance subgroup meeting).
• It was highlighted that the UK were currently at a disadvantage against other implementing countries as we will be due to be validated against the new Standard after only one reporting cycle. Countries being validated after 2025 will have the advantage of at least two reporting cycles in which to implement the new requirements. It was pointed out that the EITI Standard allows countries to apply for a postponement of the validation, if necessary.

AOB

• Next meeting to be arranged for mid-April. (Action: UK Secretariat).