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Transparency in Commodities Trading: Options for Action at the International Level and in Switzerland

Discussion
20 September 2016 - 5:00pm to 7:30pm
Topics
Commodity pricesGlobal initiativesMandatory payment disclosure
Stakeholders: 
Civil society actorsGovernment officialsJournalists and mediaParliaments and political partiesPrivate sector
Precepts
P1 P2 P11 P12 What are Natural Resource Charter precepts?
Social Sharing
Location
Congresscenter Allresto
Effingerstrasse 20
Bern 
Switzerland

Background

Commodity trading is currently a intensively discussed topic and the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences have joined in the debate, publishing two papers: one with a focus on Switzerland and the other on impacts in producer countries. Two important developments in Switzerland provide the background to this event. 

The Swiss Federal Council is expected to provide a dispatch on the revision of its law covering corporate entities by the end of 2016. This will also cover transparency in payments to producer countries. The new rules follow EU-legislation: the extractives companies should be required to make information about payments totalling over CHF 120,000 available to state authorities. Companies involved in commodities trading would not be affected. The Federal Council, however, would gain the authority to require transparency about payments from commodity traders. 

The event is meant to provide an overview and stimulate dialogue about potential courses of action and solutions at both international and national level, while also providing different stakeholders with an opportunity to share their views.

Introduction
Laurent Goetschel, president of the KFPE 

Moderator
Stefan Barmettler, Schweizerische Handelszeitung

Presentations

Transparency in resource extraction and commodities trading – challenges with regard to sustainability research
Stephan Rist and Elisabeth Bürgi Bonanomi, Center for Development and Environment, University of Bern

Trading oil, gas and minerals – shining a light on payments to governments
Joseph Williams, senior advocacy officer, Natural Resource Governance Institute

Approaches for achieving transparency in trading within the context of EITI 
Jonas Moberg, Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative

Transparency policies in a commodity trading company
Andrew Gower, Trafigura

Panel discussion: Switzerland and transparency in the commodities sector 
  • Regula Rytz (Green Party), member of the National Council
  • Ruedi Noser (Free Democratic Party), member of the Council of States
  • Elisabeth Bürgi Bonanomi, Center for Development and Environment, University of Bern
  • A. Missbach, Bern Declaration
  • M. Fasser, Zug Commodity Association

Closing remarks
Thomas Cottier, World Trade Institute, University of Bern




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  • Topics
    Beneficial ownership
    Civic space
    Commodity prices
    Contract transparency and monitoring
    Coronavirus
    Corruption
    Economic diversification
    Energy transition
    Gender
    Global initiatives
    Legislation and regulation
    Licensing and negotiation
    Mandatory payment disclosure
    Measurement of environmental and social impacts
    Measurement of governance
    Open data
    Revenue management
    Revenue sharing
    Sovereign wealth funds
    State-owned enterprises
    Subnational governance
    Tax policy and revenue collection
  • Approach
    • Stakeholders
    • Natural Resource Charter
    • Regional knowledge hubs
  • Priority
    Countries
    • Colombia
    • Dem. Rep. of Congo
    • Ghana
    • Guinea
    • Mexico
    • Mongolia
    • Nigeria
    • Peru
    • Senegal
    • Tanzania
    • Tunisia
    • Uganda
  • Learning
    • Training
    • Primers
  • Analysis & Tools
    • Publications
    • Tools
    • Economic models
  • About Us
    • What we do
    • NRGI impact
    • Board of Directors
    • Emeritus Board Members
    • Advisory Council
    • Leadership team
    • Experts and staff
    • Careers and opportunities
    • Grant-making
    • Financials
    • Privacy policy
    • Contact us
  • News
  • Blog
  • Events
  • Search