Overview
- The draft before Congress’s Energy and Mines Commission would prolong the mining formalization registry until Dec. 31, 2027 or until a new Law for Small-Scale and Artisanal Mining is enacted, and would readmit previously excluded participants.
- After a Nov. 7 pause, the commission set debate to resume on Nov. 17 under chair Víctor Cutipa, while also weighing bills to tighten rules on inactive concessions that industry figures say could favor informal operators.
- CONFIEP says successive extensions have been exploited by illegal networks, predicting greater violence tied to trafficking, money laundering and mass deforestation if the measure advances.
- The business group warns the proposal would keep thousands of workers in precarious conditions without social security or adequate protection against occupational risks.
- CONFIEP argues the move would breach Andean Community commitments, risking sanctions and trade limits, and urges a formalization model with clear rules, deadlines, traceability and effective oversight.