#DiscloseTheDeal
A global campaign for contract transparency in the oil, gas and mining industries
Publish What You Pay coalitions across the world are holding governments to their commitments to #DiscloseTheDeal. Discover why extractive contracts disclosure matters and what we want to achieve.
Contract disclosure is a keystone of transparency and good governance in the extractive industries.
Publish What You Pay (PWYP) member organisations campaign globally for the comprehensive disclosure of all contracts relating to the extraction of oil, gas and mineral resources.
After a decades-long fight, contract transparency has come of age as a global norm. Since January 2021, 55 Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) countries are required to start disclosing contracts.
PWYP coalitions played a crucial role in making this happen. Now we want to see governments follow through on their commitment. We also want non-EITI countries to start disclosing contracts, and an increased number of oil, gas and mining companies to publicly support and push for it.
Why does it matter?
It benefits citizens
Contract transparency enables scrutiny of the costs and benefits of oil, gas and mining projects.
It helps people understand the value of their natural resources and argue for revenues to be used for public benefit like funding healthcare, education and infrastructure.
It helps communities understand the impacts of oil, gas and mining projects and warn of social or environmental harm, providing critical information that supports their right to free, prior and informed consent.
It supports crisis response
As governments struggle under the financial strain of the Covid-19 and companies seek to renegotiate deals, contract transparency helps inform public debate to deter a race to the bottom in contract terms.
It helps civil society and public officials understand how the transition away from fossil fuels will impact the extractives projects and the revenues they generate.
It can support climate adaptation and mitigation by informing public understanding how risks and rewards from natural resources are distributed.
It prevents corruption
Contract transparency is critical to rooting out opacity and secrecy in resource-rich countries. It enables public scrutiny of multi-billion deals between governments and oil, gas and mining companies. This deters corruption in the negotiation process.
It fights misinformation by enabling open, informed and productive national debates around the extractive industries, and allows people to see if governments and companies are meeting the terms of their agreements.
It builds trust
Contract transparency can increase trust between people, governments and companies.
It can reassure people that governments are making deals that will benefit their country, and enhance the social licence to operate of oil, gas and mining companies.
It can increase investor confidence, reassuring them of a level-playing field in the allocation of contracts and licences and increasing interest to invest in a country.
What are we calling for?
1.
Governments should publicly disclose unredacted versions of all extractives contracts, including annexes and amendments.
2.
Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) countries should promptly meet their commitments to publish all contracts granted, entered into or amended from 1st January 2021.
3.
Extractives companies should make a public declaration of support for contract disclosure and pledge to actively push for it in all of the countries where they operate.
Contract Disclosure Tracker
Since January 2021, the 55 Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) countries have been required to disclose contracts. But how many countries are fully complying with this commitment, and to what extent?
Our tracking tool quickly shows how countries are performing against four key metrics: is the disclosure of oil, gas and mining contracts required by law; is there a public list of all contracts; are contracts signed after January 1 2021 being published, and are contracts signed before January 1 2021 being published.
Where PWYP members are campaigning on contract disclosure in a country, it also shows their current campaign objectives.
The EITI Country Tracker tool uses comprehensive data compiled by Publish What You Pay, the National Resource Governance Institute, and Oxfam, which is published in the co-authored report “Unfinished Business: Contract Transparency in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative”.
Do you want to get involved?
If you want more information on the campaign, or if you would like to join, please get in touch.
Resources
EITI policy brief outlining the key benefits, common myths and emerging practices of contract disclosure.
Unfinished Business: Contract Transparency in The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.