Iraqi top court deems KRG oil, gas law unconstitutional

15-02-2022
Aveen Karim aveeenkarim
A+ A-

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq’s top court on Tuesday ruled an oil and gas law regulating the oil sector in the Kurdistan Region unconstitutional, according to Iraqi state media. 

Iraq’s Federal Court held a session on cases brought against the export of oil from the Kurdistan Region to foreign countries without prior approval from the federal government. The Iraqi oil ministry filed cases against the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), both in 2012 and in 2019, for exporting oil without approval from the federal government.

The KRG passed its own oil and gas law in 2007, enabling it to administer and develop its own oil and gas resources.

The lack of a federal oil and gas legislation has been a strong point of contention between Erbil and Baghdad since the current Iraqi constitution was approved in 2005. According to the constitution, it is the responsibility of both the federal and regional governments to develop oil and gas resources. 

Such legislation exists, but it still yet to pass parliament. The law has been pending since 2005 and every election, parties promise to vote on it.

The KRG exported a total of nearly 80 million barrels of crude oil in the first half of 2021, collecting a net $1.7 billion, according to audited data published by the KRG in November. The majority of these exports were made to Turkey.

 

Comments

Rudaw moderates all comments submitted on our website. We welcome comments which are relevant to the article and encourage further discussion about the issues that matter to you. We also welcome constructive criticism about Rudaw.

To be approved for publication, however, your comments must meet our community guidelines.

We will not tolerate the following: profanity, threats, personal attacks, vulgarity, abuse (such as sexism, racism, homophobia or xenophobia), or commercial or personal promotion.

Comments that do not meet our guidelines will be rejected. Comments are not edited – they are either approved or rejected.

Post a comment

Required
Required