The UK Government's review of initial reporting by oil, gas and mining companies under the Reports on Payments to Governments Regulations found that the law requiring extractive companies to disclose details of payments to governments for oil and minerals had helped bring greater transparency to the sector. Importantly, the report also found that “this type of reporting does not disadvantage company business interests, including their relationships with governments”. This finding in particular refutes claims made by US oil companies Exxon and Chevron that extractives transparency disclosures harm business interests. Civil society organisations have welcomed the Government's report and its renewed commitment to extractives transparency. 

Note: The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre has previously invited Chevron and Exxon to comment on their opposition to extractives transparency disclosure as well as the US withdrawal from the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. Their responses can be found here.