The Board agreed on deadlines for implementing some provisions of the 2016 EITI Standard relating to MSG governance, Annual Progress Reports, open data policy and beneficial ownership roadmaps.
On 23 February 2016 the EITI Board adopted the 2016 EITI Standard, replacing the 2013 EITI Standard.
On 2 June 2016 the Board agreed the transitional arrangements for the adoption of the 2016 EITI Standard by implementing countries.
The Board agreed the following:
1. The following provisions of the 2016 EITI Standard will be phased in as follows. Where countries undertake Validation prior to these requirements coming into force, the Board will assess compliance with these provisions as soon as the requirements come into force:
The requirement for work plans to “outline the multi-stakeholder group’s plans for implementing the recommendations from Validation and EITI reporting” (requirement 1.5.c.iv) will come into force on 31 December 2016.
The requirement for annual progress reports (APRs) to include “an overview of the multi-stakeholder group’s responses to and progress made in addressing the recommendations from reconciliation and Validation” (requirement 7.4.a.iii) will come into force for 2016 APRs onwards.
The requirement for MSGs to “publish its procedures for nominating and changing multi-stakeholder group representatives, decision-making, the duration of the mandate and the frequency of meetings” (requirement 1.4.b.vi) will come into force with immediate effect.
Requirement 1.4.b.vi “Where the multi-stakeholder group has a practice of per diems for attending EITI meetings or other payments to multi-stakeholder group members, this practice should be transparent and should not create conflicts of interest” will come into force with immediate effect.
The requirement for MSGs to “Agree a clear policy on the access, release and re-use of EITI data” (requirement 7.1.b) will come into force on 31 December 2016.
The disclosure of beneficial ownership roadmaps (requirement 2.5.b.ii) is required by 1 January 2017. Countries applying for candidature after 1 January 2017 will be required to address the roadmap requirement as part of the MSG’s workplan.
