What is EITI Validation?
Validation is EITI's quality assurance mechanism and an essential feature of the EITI process. It serves two critical functions. First, it promotes dialogue and learning at the country level. Second, it safeguards the EITI brand by holding all EITI implementing countries to the same global standard.
Validation is not an audit. It does not repeat the disclosure and reconciliation work that is carried out to produce EITI reports. Validation has broader objectives: it evaluates EITI implementation in consultation with stakeholders, it verifies achievements with reference to the EITI global standard, and it identifies opportunities to strengthen the EITI process going forward.
Validation is also the mechanism that the EITI Board uses to determine a country’s candidate or compliant status. Candidate countries have met the five “sign-up” requirements and are at different stages in EITI implementation. Candidate status is for a finite period that leads, in a timely fashion, to the achievement of Compliant status. The EITI requires that Candidate countries complete Validation within two and a half years to assess whether they have met all EITI requirements and thereby achieved EITI Compliance. (See country pages for the Validation deadline for each EITI Candidate country)
Through Validation, countries that demonstrate their compliance with EITI (or demonstrate substantive progress toward achieving this goal) receive international recognition for their efforts and achievements. If Validation is not completed, or if the validation shows that there has been no meaningful progress toward achieving EITI Compliance, the EITI Board will revoke that country’s Candidate status. The rules for assessing a country's EITI status are set out in EITI Policy Note #3.
On 16 February 2011, the EITI Board agreed a new edition of the EITI Rules. The changes in the EITI Rules - 2011 edition are the results of an extensive consultation process, and based on detailed feedback received from many EITI stakeholders. The EITI Board is expected to agree the transitional arrangements shortly. The EITI Rules - 2011 edition is being translated into several languages. An overview of the changes to the EITI Rules 2011 is available. On 9 June, the EITI Board agreed a procedure for how these rules will come into force, acknowledging that implementing countries will need time to make adjustments, and to complete EITI reports and validation processes that are already underway. An overview of the transitional arrangements agreed by the Board is available in the Minutes from the 17th meeting of the EITI Board.
How Does Validation Work?
The Validation Process is carried out at the national level and is overseen by the national multi-stakeholder group. The Validation methodology is set out in the EITI Rules.
The first step is the appointment of the Validator by the multi-stakeholder group. The EITI Board has approved a list of accredited EITI Validators, and has issued guidance to implementing countries on how to procure a Validator (see Policy Note Number 2 [French] [Russian]).
The Validator meets with the multi-stakeholder group, the organisation contracted to reconcile the figures disclosed by companies and the government and other key stakeholders (including companies and civil society not on the multi-stakeholder group).
The validator's report is reviewed by the multi-stakeholder group and the EITI Board. If there is disagreement regarding the validation process, then this is dealt with in the first instance locally, with the EITI Board only called in to help in cases of serious dispute.
Read More
List of accredited EITI Validators »
The EITI Rules, including the Validation Guide »
For further information about EITI Validation, please contact Sam Bartlett at the EITI Secretariat.