The Board agreed that Norway has made satisfactory progress overall with implementing the 2016 EITI Standard.

Board decision

The EITI Board agreed that Norway has fulfilled the terms of the Board-approved request for adapted implementation and adhered to the Board-approved approach to mainstreamed implementation. Consequently, Norway has made satisfactory progress overall in implementing the EITI Standard.

The Board recognised Norway’s efforts to routinely disclose data on the petroleum sector through the online portal www.norskpetroleum.no and to engage with stakeholders through public debate, hearings and consultations. Norway has moved away from EITI-specific disclosures and governance processes by discontinuing the publication of EITI Reports and dissolving the MSG. Instead, transparency and inclusive governance are safeguarded through the laws, practices and institutions of an open democratic society, including through routine disclosures of information. The approach is not without limitations, given the variety of channels for civil society and industry input to public decision-making. Norway is encouraged to ensure that stakeholders have meaningful channels for participation in extractive sector governance and that information is not only available, but also accessible and usable.

Norway is encouraged to continue to ensure adherence to the EITI Principles and Requirements. Where concerns are raised about whether implementation of the EITI has fallen below the required standard, the EITI Board reserves the right to require the country to undergo a new Validation. In accordance with Requirement 8.3.b, stakeholders may petition the EITI Board if they consider that Norway’s status should be reviewed. Otherwise, in accordance with Requirement 8.3.d.i, Norway will be revalidated in three years, with the next Validation commencing on 27 February 2022.

Background

Norway has been an EITI supporting country since 2003 and became the first OECD country to commit to implement the EITI in 2007. The EITI Board accepted Norway as an EITI Candidate on 11 February 2009.  The first Validation of Norway under the EITI Standard commenced on 1 July 2016. On 4 December 2017, the EITI Board found that Norway had made meaningful progress in implementing the 2016 EITI Standard. Five corrective actions were identified by the Board, pertaining to the following requirements:

1. Civil society engagement (Requirement 1.3);

2. MSG oversight (Requirement 1.4);

3. Workplan (Requirement 1.5);

4. Public debate (Requirement 7.1);

5. Outcomes and impact of implementation (Requirement 7.4).

The Board asked Norway to address these corrective actions to be assessed in a second Validation commencing on 4 December 2018. Norway has undertaken a number of activities to address the corrective actions:

• On 28 April 2017, Norway submitted a request for adapted implementation to the EITI Board concerning requirements 1.1-1.5, 7.1-7.4 and phase 6 of the agreed-upon procedures for mainstreamed disclosure (Requirement 4.9c). The request was approved by the EITI Board on 25 October 2017.

• On 23 October 2018, in accordance with the terms of the adapted implementation request, Norway held an open stakeholder meeting to present the revenue data for the year 2016 and the latest developments in the sector as well as provide an update on progress on beneficial ownership disclosures.

Norway’s second Validation commenced on 4 December 2018. The Secretariat assessed progress in addressing the corrective actions, reflecting the Board-approved adapted approach to implementation of Requirements 1 and 7. In addition, adherence to mainstreamed implementation was assessed, specifically regarding revenue disclosures (Requirement 4.1) and the approach to assurances (Requirement 4.9). Having reviewed the steps taken by Norway to address the five corrective actions and undertake mainstreamed implementation, the International Secretariat’s preliminary assessment is that the terms of the Board-approved requests for adapted implementation and mainstreamed implementation have been fulfilled. The draft assessment was sent to stakeholders on 31 January 2019. Following comments received on 18 February, the assessment was finalised for consideration by the EITI Board.