A more transparent commodities sector

The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) promotes increased transparency in the commodities sector and aims to curb tax evasion.  

Switzerland supports its partner countries in better mobilising and exploiting their own financial resources. In particular, this includes curbing tax evasion and tax avoidance in the commodities sector.

One way of achieving this is the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), which is supported by SECO and the SDC. The initiative sets a global standard for transparency in the commodities sector, and is implemented by 50 countries. For example, it ensures that taxes and payments made by companies to governments are disclosed. The amounts are then compared with government revenue figures. This allows discrepancies to be identified and illegal outflows to be prevented.

Switzerland is represented on the EITI Board and supports the initiative in various ways, including through a direct financial contribution and through bilateral programmes to implement transparency standards in its priority countries. It also supports a regional training centre of the international NGO the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) at a university in Baku, Azerbaijan. The centre trains government officials, journalists, civil society advocates and private sector actors from countries in the region to request the right information in connection with the EITI and to interpret it.