Information Transparency of the Owners of the Entities with Rights to Use Mineral Resources (MN0033)
Overview
At-a-Glance
Action Plan: Mongolia Action Plan 2016-2018
Action Plan Cycle: 2016
Status: Inactive
Institutions
Lead Institution: Central Government Authority
Support Institution(s): Central Government Authority Responsible for Justice Central Government Authority Responsible for Foreign Investment Petroleum Authority Mineral Authority; Open Society Forum Transparency Initiative for Extractive Industry Borderless Steps NGO
Policy Areas
Anti-Corruption, Anti-Corruption Institutions, Asset Disclosure, Beneficial Ownership, E-Government, Environment and Climate, Extractive Industries, Private Sector, Public Participation, Public Service DeliveryIRM Review
IRM Report: Mongolia End-of-Term Report 2016-2018, Mongolia Mid-Term Report 2016-2018
Starred: No
Early Results: Did Not Change
Design i
Verifiable: Yes
Relevant to OGP Values: Access to Information
Implementation i
Description
Status quo or problem addressed by the commitment: Transparency of the operations related to the use of natural resources is the fundamental principle of accountability. Today, this information is not entirely transparent, thus limiting the public's capacity and opportunity to monitor and make these operators accountable. Main Objective: Make information public about the owners of the entities who are exploiting natural resources. Brief Description of commitment (140 character limit): - Identify relevant natural resources o Minerals and oil o Land and Water - Establish mechanism to collect information about owners - Establish mechanism to check and confirm the information - Disseminate the information to the general public
IRM Midterm Status Summary
12. Transparency of information on beneficial ownership in mining sector
Commitment Text:
- Identify relevant natural resources
o Minerals and oil
o Land and Water
- Establish mechanism to collect information about the owners.
- Establish mechanism to check and confirm the information
- Disseminate the information to the general public.
Status quo or problem addressed:
Transparency of the operations related to the use of natural resources is the fundamental principle of accountability. Today, this information is not entirely transparent, thus limiting the public's capacity and opportunity to monitor and make these operators accountable.
Main Objective:
Make information public about the owners of the entities who are exploiting natural resources.
Milestones:
12.1. Identify relevant natural resources
a. Minerals and oil
b. Land and Water
12.2. Develop mechanism to collect information about the owners
12.3. Establish mechanism to confirm the information in the database
12.4. Disseminate the information to the public
Responsible institutions: Central Government Authority responsible for Budget and Finance Central Government Authority responsible for Mining Related Issues
Supporting institutions: Central Government Authority Responsible for Justice Central Government Authority Responsible for Foreign Investment Petroleum Authority Mineral Authority, Open Society Forum, Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative, Borderless Steps NGO
Start date: 30 June 2016
End date: 30 June 2018
Context and Objectives
The Asia Foundation and the Sant Maral Foundation’s 2017 study on corruption perceptions in Mongolia found that the public viewed land utilization, state mining, and local procurement offices as the most corrupt sectors in Mongolia.[Note114: The Asia Foundation and Sant Maral Foundation, '2017 Survey on Perceptions and Knowledge of Corruption: Strengthening Democratic Participation and Transparency in the Public Sector in Mongolia Project,' https://asiafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/MG-SPEAK2017_ENG.pdf.] Despite concerns of potential corruption in the extractives sector,[Note115: United Nations Development Programme, Corruption risk assessment in Mining sector of Mongolia, 7 June 2016, available at: http://www.mn.undp.org/content/mongolia/en/home/library/democratic_governance/CorruptionRiskAssessmentinMiningSectorofMongolia.html.] Mongolia passed the Law on the Amendments to the Mineral Law in 2014, which lifted a 2010 moratorium on issuing new licenses.[Note116: For more information on the 2014 amendments to the 2006 Minerals Law, see: http://www.eisourcebook.org/cms/January%202016/Mongolia%20Mineral%20Law%20Amendments%202014.pdf.] Mineral license information is available online through the Mineral Resources and Petroleum Authority’s central directory. This commitment aims to improve transparency in the extractives sector by collecting information on beneficiaries of companies involved in this sector and disseminating it to the public. In doing so, this commitment builds off Commitment 3.3.1.4 from Mongolia’s previous action plan that established a central database for information on oil, mineral, and land tenure ownership licenses.
The dissemination of information on beneficial ownership of companies involved in the extractives sector to the public is relevant to the OGP value of access to information. While the commitment’s overall objective (to publish information on beneficial ownership) is clear, the milestones leave out some important details such as how the mechanism to confirm information on beneficiaries will be established and how the information will be disseminated to the public. Also, the definition of 'beneficial ownership,' which can have multiple interpretations, is unclear from the commitment text. Therefore, the specificity is marked as medium.
Although the publication of oil, mineral, and land tenure license ownership on a central database (Commitment 3.3.1.4) had a potentially transformative impact at the outset of the previous action plan, the IRM End of Term Report found that it only improved access to information marginally because of the limited disclosure of petroleum and land license ownership.[Note117: Independent Reporting Mechanism, 'Mongolia: 2014-2016 End-of-Term Report,' https://www.opengovpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2001/01/Mongolia_EOTR_2014-2016.pdf, pg. 18.] In addition, civil society considered the published information to be unsatisfactory and requested that the government disclose the beneficial ownership information for companies that hold licenses. This commitment specifically addresses this recommendation and is particularly salient due to the concerns of corruption in the extractives sector. Therefore, the commitment could have a potentially transformative impact on access to beneficial ownership information for the Mongolian extractives sector.
Completion
Implementation of this commitment is linked to Mongolia’s compliance with the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), a global standard to promote open and accountable management of natural resources. Requirement 2.5 of the EITI Standard 2016 requires all implementing countries to disclose beneficial ownership information for companies that have obtained rights to extract oil, gas, and minerals by 2020.[Note118: EITI International Secretariat, The EITI Standard 2016, 15 February 2016, http://www.eitimongolia.mn/sites/default/files/uploads/english_eiti_standard_0.pdf, pg. 21] In December 2016, Mongolia’s EITI multistakeholder group (MSG) approved a roadmap to disclose beneficial ownership of corporate entities that bid for, operate, or invest in the extractive sector.[Note119: See: Roadmap for beneficial owners disclosure within the EITI standard, available at: https://eiti.org/sites/default/files/documents/mongolia_eiti_road_map_on_bo_2016_12_20_in_english.pdf.] The roadmap has seven objectives with 32 planned activities to be carried out by 2020, including the incorporation of a database with beneficial ownership information in Mongolia’s 2018 EITI report, and to conduct awareness raising activities and disseminate this information to the public.
Mongolia’s 2016 EITI report found that out of 213 companies selected to complete the template for beneficial ownership in accordance with Requirement 2.5 of the EITI Standard, only 47 companies (22 percent) submitted their beneficial ownership information to the Mongolia EITI’s e-Reporting system.[Note120: Mongolia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, Mongolia Eleventh EITI Reconciliation Report 2016, November 2017, https://eiti.org/sites/default/files/documents/2016_m_eiti_report_final_english.pdf, pg. 127.] Objective 6 of the EITI roadmap is to conduct a pilot collection of beneficial ownership information and ensure data accuracy by incorporating government bodies and agencies’ data system, exchanging information and updating relevant forms. Objective 7 of the roadmap is to ensure beneficial ownership information is disclosed and publicly accessible through Mongolia’s 2018 EITI report. However, according to the roadmap, the collection of information for the database and its disclosure to the public are not scheduled to take place until 2019, after the action plan’s June 2018 end date.
There have been regular meetings and discussions among EITI stakeholders on beneficial ownership disclosure. In 2016–17, nine discussions and workshops took place among different government agencies, extractive companies, and CSOs. Civil society and media representatives have also formed an informal group to improve the legal environment for beneficial ownership disclosure. According to a civil society representative, the State Registration Agency is working to collect beneficial ownership information on all mining companies by June 2018.[Note121: IRM questionnaire completed by Enkhtsetseg Dagva, Program Manager, Open Society Forum, 23 April 2018.]
Given the limited number of companies that provided beneficial ownership information in the most recent EITI report, as well as the scheduled collection and incorporation of beneficial ownership information for 2019, the completion of this commitment is considered limited and behind schedule.
Early Results
Mongolia’s EITI website includes an interactive infographic with the results of a beneficial ownership questionnaire that the multistakeholder group prepared for Mongolia’s 2013 EITI report.[Note122: See: http://www.eitimongolia.mn/en/beneficial-owners.] The infographic includes the shareholder country, type, and name for the 215 companies that responded to the voluntary questionnaire (out of a total of 250). However, subsequent EITI reports have been less successful in providing beneficial ownership data. Thirty of 236 companies provided information in 2014, 51 of 202 companies responded in 2015 (of which 26 disclosed beneficial ownership), and 47 of 213 companies reported information in 2016.[Note123: See: https://eiti.org/mongolia#beneficial-ownership-disclosure.] For the most recent data, Appendix 25.a of Mongolia’s 2016 EITI report includes beneficial ownership information for the 47 companies that responded to the request for disclosure.[Note124: See the 2016 Mongolia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Report Appendices, https://eiti.org/sites/default/files/documents/2016_m_eiti_report_appendices_en_final.pdf, pgs. 121-123.]
Next Steps
According to a representative from the Open Society Forum, government organizations are still reluctant to publicly disclose their beneficial ownership information. There are also continued barriers in privacy-related laws that limit the amount of beneficial ownership disclosure. Moving forward, beyond implementing the steps outlined in Mongolia’s EITI roadmap, the government could ensure that privacy laws do not inhibit future beneficial ownership disclosure to the public.
IRM End of Term Status Summary
12. Transparency of information on beneficial ownership in mining sector
Commitment Text:
- Identify relevant natural resources
- Minerals and oil
- Land and Water
- Establish mechanism to collect information about the owners.
- Establish mechanism to check and confirm the information
- Disseminate the information to the general public.
Status quo or problem addressed:
Transparency of the operations related to the use of natural resources is the fundamental principle of accountability. Today, this information is not entirely transparent, thus limiting the public's capacity and opportunity to monitor and make these operators accountable.
Milestones:
12.1. Identify relevant natural resources
- Minerals and oil
- Land and Water
12.2. Develop mechanism to collect information about the owners
12.3. Establish mechanism to confirm the information in the database
12.4. Disseminate the information to the public
Responsible institutions: Central Government Authority responsible for Budget and Finance Central Government Authority responsible for Mining Related Issues
Supporting institutions: Central Government Authority Responsible for Justice Central Government Authority Responsible for Foreign Investment Petroleum Authority Mineral Authority, Open Society Forum, Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative, Borderless Steps NGO
Start date: 30 June 2016
End date: 30 June 2018
Editorial Note: This is an abridged version of the commitment text. For the full commitment text from the Mongolian National Action Plan, see: https://www.opengovpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Mongolia-NAP2-Final-Eng_0.pdf
Commitment Aim
This commitment aimed to improve transparency in the extractives sector by collecting and publishing information on beneficial ownership.
The call for disclosure of beneficial ownership information concerning companies with licences to extract natural resources came from civil society. The public identified land use, mining, and local-government procurement as the most corrupt sectors in Mongolia. [70] The extraction of natural resources accounted for 23.4 percent of the country’s GDP.
Status
Midterm: Limited
Mongolia’s 2016 EITI report found that out of 213 companies selected to complete the template for beneficial ownership in accordance with Requirement 2.5 of the EITI Standard, only 47 companies (22 percent) submitted their beneficial ownership information to Mongolia EITI’s e-Reporting system. [71] However, according to the EITI roadmap, the collection of information for the database and its disclosure to the public were not scheduled to take place until 2019 (Milestones 12.1-12.4).
In 2016–17, different government agencies, extractive companies, and CSOs participated in nine discussions and workshops on beneficial ownership disclosure (Milestones 12.1 and 12.2). Civil society and media representatives also formed an informal group to improve the legal environment for beneficial ownership disclosure. According to a civil society representative, the State Registration Agency is working to collect beneficial ownership information on all mining companies by June 2018. [72]
End of term: Limited
The government did not take any further action to advance this commitment in the remaining period of this report (Milestones 12.1-12.4).
However, independent of government, civil society took several steps to push the commitment forward. In early 2018, the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) and Transparency Fund NGO launched the following website on beneficial owners https://iltodezed.wordpress.com/ (Il tod ezed means transparent owners). At the end of term, the website published information pertaining to 50 mining companies, including its licenses and activities, management, board of directors, and beneficial owners. This activity is relevant to Milestone 12.4.
EITI and OSF led the organization of a series of seminars, workshops, and awareness-raising activities on beneficial ownership for different stakeholders such as company representatives, members of parliament, and other decision-makers and civil society during the reporting period. Stakeholders are also engaged in ongoing discussions on laws that can be amended to simplify disclosure of beneficial owners.
Did It Open Government?
Access to Information: Did Not Change
While the government participated in workshops, discussions, and consultations on beneficial ownership disclosure in the extractives sector, this did not translate into the government establishing a database to disclose and disseminate such information as envisioned under this commitment. As a result, this commitment did not contribute to an improvement in access to information.
Despite the lack of progress under this commitment, stakeholders recognize that the disclosure of beneficial ownership in the extractive sector can help to address anonymity, build trust with the public, and prevent tax evasion and corruption in Mongolia. Most importantly, this reform would lead to a more level playing field for investors and ensure the benefits from the sector trickle down to all Mongolians. [73]
Carried Forward?
This commitment is included in Mongolia’s third action plan as Commitment 10: Transparency of beneficial owners. The commitment aims to organize a joint meeting of different stakeholders to discuss creating a legal environment for disclosure of beneficial ownership; re-visiting the Extractive Sector Transparency Bill and other related legislation towards facilitating their adoption; collecting and publicly disclosing data on beneficial owners; raising awareness on the requirement for disclosure of beneficial owners; and carrying out midterm and final evaluation on enforcement of laws and implementation of the action plan.
Commitments
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Transparent Procurement Process for Healthcare
MN0035, 2019, Anti-Corruption
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Digital Participation in Education Service Provision
MN0036, 2019, E-Government
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Online System for Public Services
MN0037, 2019, E-Government
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Participation in Public Procurement Processes
MN0038, 2019, Access to Information
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Citizen Monitoring of Local Development Fund (LDF)
MN0039, 2019, Capacity Building
-
Increase Public Legal Knowledge
MN0040, 2019, Access to Justice
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Citizens' Satisfaction Survey
MN0041, 2019, Capacity Building
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Transparent Political Party Finance
MN0042, 2019, Legislation & Regulation
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Improve Governance of State Owned Enterprises
MN0043, 2019, Anti-Corruption
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Beneficial Ownership Transparency
MN0044, 2019, Anti-Corruption
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Contract Transparency in Extractives
MN0045, 2019, Anti-Corruption
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Transparent M&E Information System
MN0046, 2019, Capacity Building
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Governance of Waste Management
MN0047, 2019, E-Government
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Mobile Application for Citizens Feedback and Requests
MN0022, 2016, E-Government
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Improve Provision and Quality of Education and Health Services
MN0023, 2016, E-Government
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Civic Engagement in Decision Making
MN0024, 2016, Legislation & Regulation
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Transparent Funding of Political Parties
MN0025, 2016, Anti-Corruption
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Create Favourable Environment for Media and Journalism
MN0026, 2016, Civic Space
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National Action Plan for Combating Corruption
MN0027, 2016, Anti-Corruption
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Transparency of Loans and Aid from Foreign Countries
MN0028, 2016, Aid
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Online Registration of VAT
MN0029, 2016, Capacity Building
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Improve Glass Account System
MN0030, 2016, Anti-Corruption
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Make Government Procurement Process Transparent
MN0031, 2016, Anti-Corruption
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Transparency of Contracts of Public Resource Exploiting
MN0032, 2016, Anti-Corruption
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Information Transparency of the Owners of the Entities with Rights to Use Mineral Resources
MN0033, 2016, Anti-Corruption
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Make Licenses, Information and Activities of the Companies Transparent and Effective by Government
MN0034, 2016, Anti-Corruption
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Monitor and Ensure Implementation of Information Transparency and Information Access Right Act by Establishing National Information Transparency Committee and Creating Structure of Information Commissary.
MN0001, 2014, Access to Information
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Modernize Performance Indicators of Information Transparency of Public Organizations Into ―”Citizen Targeted” Ones.
MN0002, 2014, Capacity Building
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Launch ―Transparent Account Systemǁ in Order to Enable Consistent, Transparent Reporting to the Public and to Provide Comprehensive Information on Budget Revenue Collection, Income and Expenditure Details, as Well as Public Procurement and Investments.
MN0003, 2014, Anti-Corruption
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Develop Central Information Database of Minerals, Oil, and Land Tenure License Owners, Open to the Public.
MN0004, 2014, Anti-Corruption
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Ensure Transparency All Agreements on Investment, Stability and Production- Sharing of Public-Owned Resources Such as Water, Minerals, Oil and Land.
MN0005, 2014, Anti-Corruption
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Publish List of Mandatory Public Information on Environment Such as Information Regarding Any Action Harmful to Natural Environment and People’S Health.
MN0006, 2014, Environment and Climate
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Disclose Information to the Public Relating to Foreign Loan Assistance Projects and Programs, Including the Total Amounts, Terms, Payback Duration and General Provisions Related to the Loan Rate, Board Members, and Implementation Bodies. Information About the Terms of Implementation of the Projects as Well as General Conditions of Contracts Between Suppliers and Buyers Shall Be Disclosed as Well.
MN0007, 2014, Aid
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Disclose Budget Funded Procurement Contracts Above 80.0 Million MNT
MN0008, 2014, Anti-Corruption
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Ensure Civic Engagement in Planning and Developing Public Services at Central and Local Levels by Introducing Communication Channels Such as Organizing e-Conferences, Public Hearings, and Open Meetings.
MN0009, 2014, Public Participation
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Launch “Smart Government” Program, for Delivering e-Public Services to the People Regardless of Distance and Location Through the Public Service Portal.
MN0010, 2014, E-Government
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Create a Single Access Public Service for Citizens Without Requiring Supplementary State Registered Data, Based on Principles of “One Citizen-One Public Servant”.
MN0011, 2014,
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Improve and Develop Smart e-Service Capability for “One Window-Public Service” and Introduce It as a Standard Unit of Public Service.
MN0012, 2014, E-Government
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Increase Number of “Public Service Online Machines” at Local Levels for Delivering Public Services to Individuals in Remote Areas, as Well as Increase the Content of Its Data.
MN0013, 2014, E-Government
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Report Public Feedback on Government Performance Received from the Government’S “11-11” Center. Government Shall Also Establish a Data System That Responds to and Tracks Petitions and Enquiries.
MN0014, 2014, Public Participation
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Develop and Publish E-Mapping of Crime Occurrence.
MN0015, 2014, E-Government
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Create a United Information Database on Law Enforcement Activities, Crimes and Violation Records, and Ensure That the Database Is Accessible to Relevant Bodies.
MN0016, 2014, E-Government
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Introduce a System of Random Disclosure to the Public of Asset and Financial Statements of Any Public Servants.
MN0017, 2014, Anti-Corruption
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Publish the Asset and Financial Statements of Officials Who Work in Organizations with a High Likelihood of Corruption Index on Websites and Ensure Citizen Monitoring.
MN0018, 2014, Anti-Corruption
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Create Regulation That Repeals Decisions Made Without Due Participation of Citizens and Contradict Public Interests, as Well as Hold the Officials at Fault Accountable.
MN0019, 2014, Legislation & Regulation
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Deliver the Draft Laws, Acts, Amendments and Administrative Rules to Public Attention in Due Time. in Particular, Create an Opportunity for People to Access Such Information from “Public Service Online Machines”, Citizens Chambers, and the Public Libraries at Each Provincial Level.
MN0020, 2014, Capacity Building
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Strengthen the Capacity of Citizens by Implementing Certain Projects to Enhance Legal Knowledge of Target Groups Using Simple Language.
MN0021, 2014, Capacity Building