EITI Chair Statement on United States withdrawal from the EITI

On 2 November 2017 the United States government announced that it was discontinuing EITI implementation. The EITI Chair, Fredrik Reinfeldt, issued the following statement:

“This is a disappointing, backwards step. The EITI is making important gains in global efforts to address corruption and illicit financial flows. Our work supports efforts to combat transnational crime and terrorist financing. It’s important that resource-rich countries like the United States lead by example. This decision sends the wrong signal.

The United States has been implementing the EITI since 2014. The USEITI multi-stakeholder group (MSG) has been a valuable platform for dialogue, encouraging state and tribal participation. Under the auspices of the EITI, the Department of Interior has made strides in modernising royalty revenue management. The MSG developed a simple procedure to provide greater transparency on corporate income tax payments. Regrettably, the majority of companies declined to report. The disapproval of the SEC Rules implementing the Dodd Frank provisions on the disclosure of payments by resource extraction issuers was a set-back, undermining the EITI’s efforts.

I take this opportunity to thank everybody involved in the USEITI multi-stakeholder group (MSG). I trust the United States government, industry and civil society will continue to support the EITI’s important work internationally."

Following the US’s withdrawal as an EITI implementing country, there has been some confusion as to its status vis-à-vis the EITI.  The Government of the United States is no longer an implementing country, but it remains a supporter of the EITI internationally.  Supporting governments are committed to promote good governance in the extractive industries across the world. A supporting country can support the EITI through financial, technical and political support at the international level and in implementing countries. A full list of EITI supporting countries can be found here.

For media inquiries contact Jonas Moberg [email protected] and Sam Bartlett [email protected]