"Decision to implement the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) in Germany", 1 July, 2014

At its meeting today, the Federal Cabinet decided to launch Germany's application to join the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). Uwe Beckmeyer, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, was designated Germany's Special Representative for EITI with responsibility for implementation in Germany. The Federal Government will also establish a multi-stakeholder group (MSG). This is a three-group body with equal representation of government, commerce and civil society. The body is intended to shape and guide the EITI in Germany...The EITI is an international transparency initiative based on voluntary commitments by nation states. High transparency standards are introduced in order to ensure that revenues from a country's natural resources benefit all of its citizens. Implementation of the EITI requires information on payments of the extractive companies and corresponding state revenues to be made transparent and publicly available. German membership will mean that German firms and government agencies, particularly at Länder level, will have to report every year ... The EITI Board will decide whether to accept Germany's application. To this end, the multi-stakeholder group, consisting of government, commerce and civil society, will draw up a plan of work to implement the EITI initiative in Germany.