International activity
The Ordinary Meeting of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board
21-24 June 2016, Toronto
On 21-24 June 2016, the International Federation of Accountants hosted in New York, the meeting of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (ISASB), where the representative of the Romanian accounting profession, expert in public sector accounting, was also present.
The first day of the meeting was dedicated to issues related to the functioning and current projects of the Board, to EPSASs updates and IASB activity reports, as well as to updates on IPSASB communication activities.
The main topics discussed during the four days of the meeting focused on discussing current projects regarding non-exchange transactions expenses, heritage assets and leases. Moreover, members have discussed and submitted for approval consultation papers on public sector financial instruments and the impairment of revalued assets.
Anniversary Event of the Association of Professional Accountants and Auditors of the Republic of Moldova
17 June 2016, Chișinău
On the occasion of its 20th anniversary, the Association of Professional Accountants and Auditors of Moldova (ACAP RM) organised in Chișinău, on 17 June 2016, and International Conference that marked at national and international level this historical moment in the history if the Moldavian professional institution.
The central theme of the Conference was „The challenges and opportunities of accounting & audit profession: worldwide experience & solutions”, a topic approached in the context of the current evolutions of the profession globally and at European level, CECCAR representative to this event being as a matter of fact the moderator of one of the working sessions: „Challenges and opportunities of accounting profession”.
Amongst the matters discussed during the Conference we must note: „The future of accounting &audit profession: ideas for growth” and „Challenges and opportunities of audit profession”.
FEE Banks Working Party Meeting, 16 June 2016 – Brussels
On 16 June 2016, FEE hosted in its offices the Public Sector Working Party Meeting where CECCAR representative was also present.
The meeting agenda included debates on the following topics: IPSASs implementation, Financial audit in the Public Sector in Europe, conclusions of the Public Sector Roundtable, as well as issues related to strategic directions: stock taking, the current state of play at EU level and the way forward nationally and at European level.
15 June 2016, Public Sector Roundtable: Sovereign Debt Crisis – How Can Accounting Be (part of) the Solution?
FEE organizes each year a series of roundtables tackling topics around harmonising European public sector accounting, the potential conceptual framework and the governance model. These events bring together European and national policy makers, accountants and auditors from across Europe and beyond.
The 5th edition of this roundtable series that was held on 15 June 2016 in Brussels was a unique opportunity to get to know more about public sector accounting and how it could help governments to better manage their resources.
The event was structured into three sessions (Why accruals? What do Member States want? How does the EU help?), bringing together as moderators and experts representatives of the FEE Public Sector Working Party, representatives of the academic sector, Big4 experts, representatives of national public institutions as well as a high-level official from EUROSTAT.
CECCAR was represented at this notable event by its expert in the field of Public Sector Accounting.
13 June 2016, Brussels: FEE Banks Working Party Meeting
On the 13th of June 2016, the members of the FEE Banks Working Party took part in a working meeting that was hosted by the FEE offices in Brussels. CECCAR was represented in this meeting by its expert in the banking sector, a member of FEE working structure on banks.
Amongst the issues on the meeting agenda we would like to note: discussing IFRS 9 and matters related to the consistent application of its requirements, presenting two recent studies developed by the Federation, updates from the banking sector.
On this occasion, the working party members also met with the chairman of the European Banking Federation (EBF) Accounting Group and with the chair of the European Banking Authority (EBA) Accounting Working group and a member of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision accounting group.
Paris, 31 May – 1 June 2016: The Annual Forum of theOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) chose as main topic for its Annual Forum that was held this year in Paris on the 31st of May and the 1st of June 2016 Productive Economies, Inclusive Societies. This year Forum, where the Body of Expert and Licensed Accountants of Romania was represented, focussed on three main transversal topics: productivity & inclusive growth, innovation & the digital economy and International collaboration for the implementation of international agreements and standards.
Leaders and influencers from all sectors of civil society, former and current heads of state and government, top CEOs, leaders of key NGOs and trade unions, prominent members of academia and media gathered in Paris to debate, over the two days, the most pressing social and economic challenges confronting society. These debates were clustered around several panels tackling different subtopics such as: From a Pre-digital to a Digital Economy, Digital Economy & the Future of Work, Cyber security & Privacy, A New Agenda for Growth: Productivity, Inclusiveness & the Next Production Revolution.
The Meeting of the Council of the International Federation of Francophone Expert Accountants and Auditors,
25 May 2016, Tunis
The International Federation of Francophone Expert Accountants and Auditors (FIDEF) held its first meeting of the Council for this year in Tunis (Tunisia) on the 25 May 2016, where the representative of the Romanian Expert Accountants, member of this Council, was also present.
Council members discussed and considered the Federation’s on-going projects for the current year, submitted for vote organisational and governance issues, as well as future events scheduled by the Federation (the Annual Conference and other international events).
The Federation of European Accountants – Members’ Assembly
Brussels, 13 April 2016
The FEE Members’ Assembly met in Brussels on April 13, 2016 having as central debate topic the impact of global Mega-trends and an evaluation of areas of involvement for the profession, by identifying areas of engagement with EU policymakers – terrorism, technology, and public finance.
Beside governance and operational issues related to the Federation, the meeting also featured a statutory section where members cast their vote on two issues of interest for the European body: the adoption of a new name – Accountancy Europe – and a new supporting structure for the decision-making process – the Board subcommittee. CECCAR also took part in this section through a remote procedure, giving a positive vote for the proposals under decision.
CILEA International Seminar and FCM Annual International Conference
CILEA Council Meeting 08 – 09 April 2016, Porto
On April 8, 2016, the Latin-American accounting profession and the Mediterranean profession met in Porto for a common event: the CILEA International Seminar and the FCM Annual International Conference that were held under the auspices of the same central theme: Instruments for Growth and Investment.
The works were structured into several discussion panels which brought together personalities of mark from professional member bodies from both regional structures. Amongst the topics under discussion we must mention: Returns, numbers and opportunities – the view of stakeholders; public sector accounting; the trigger of professional growth for SMEs and medium-sized firms in the Mediterranean region and the Latin Americas.
The conference works were followed on April, 9 by the CILEA Council, the representative of the Body of Expert and Licensed Accountants of Romania (CECCAR) attending both events. The Council meeting brought into discussion: CILEA strategic plan and the action plan, the on-going projects (Social and Environmental Responsibility Model for SMEs, Corporate Governance Best Practices Manual for SMEs, SMEs Taxation in Latin-American Countries) as well as organisational and internal management issues and the relationship with other international bodies.
The FEE Public Sector Group Meeting,
The International Scientific Conference “The Paradigm of Accounting and Audit: National Realities, Regional and International Trends” – Chisinau, 1 April 2016
The Association of Professional Accountants and Auditors of the Republic of Moldova (ACAP) hosted, together with the department of Accounting and Economic Analysis of the Academy of Economic Studies in Moldova, ACCA and KPMG Moldova, the International Scientific Conference “The Paradigm of Accounting and Audit: national realities, regional and international trends”, as part of a series of events dedicated to the celebration of the Professional Day of Accountants in the Republic of Moldova.
The research directions taken during the Conference were: accounting theory and practice – the situation in the Republic of Moldova and modernization directions; understanding and applying IFRSs; Corporate governance; accounting education and compliance with international best practices; development opportunities for audit in the Republic of Moldova; economic and financial analysis in the measurement of business performance and determining the development directions of the entity; ethics with the accounting profession.
The Conference gathered representatives of professional bodies and of the academic sector from the CSI countries and the South-eastern Europe, among which CECCAR President who was invited to take the floor for an address in the opening session of the event.18 March 2016, Brussels
On 18 March 2016, The Federation of European Accountants held in Brussels, the Public Sector Group meeting which was attended by the CECCAR representative in this structure.
One of the main topics reviewed was the manner in which accrual accounting could be part of the solution to the sovereign debt crisis, following the publication of a document on this topic by FEE.
Oher debated issues have targeted ongoing projects of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB), especially the exposure draft regarding employee benefits and business combination in public sector.
Also, there were discussions on national developments in public sector accounting as well as events held at national level in the near future.
Annual Conference of the Compagnie Nationale des Commissaires aux Comptes,
Paris, 8 March 2016
On 8th March 2016, the Compagnie Nationale des Commissaires aux Comptes (CNCC) hosted the 28th Annual Conference – which was initially postponed due to the tragic events which took place in Paris, in November last year – with the general theme „European audit reform”.
CECCAR attended this conference at the highest level, conference which followed very clear topics: new perspectives and responsibilities of the auditors and audit firms at the time of the implementation into French legislation of the European audit reform which were discussed during the round tables that were held during the entire day: „On the home straight before the European reform from 16 June”, „Application of the European reform in France”, „New techniques and instruments for auditors”.
The Meeting of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board from 8-11 March 2016, New York
On 8-11 March 2016, the International Federation of Accountants hosted in New York, the meeting of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (ISASB), where the CECCAR member was also present.
The first part of the meeting was dedicated to organisational aspects and update on EPSAS and IASB activity, to discussing the progress of the IPSASB work plan and to the debate and approval of IPSAS improvements.
The main topics of the meeting targeted ongoing projects on heritage assets, impairment of revalued assets, public sector financial instruments, social benefits, revenue and expenses relating to non-exchange transactions and emissions trading schemes.
Also, certain aspects were discussed on IPSASB governance and the initiation of a new project on leasing contracts has been approved and the IPSASB work plan has been reviewed.
FEE SMP Forum, Brussels,
17 February 2016
On 17 February 2016, the Federation of European Accountants organized in Brussels, the SMP Forum, where the member representative of CECCAR was also present.
The main debated topics were the SMP Info Pack on moving to the cloud, developments regarding SME/SMP and the future of SME reporting. There were presented case studies on national developments, such as the Nordic Federation that reported the updates made on auditing standard on SMEs and Netherlands that discussed the profession’s initiative to improve the quality and independence of PIE audits. In the first part of the event, some discussions were generated on the Federation’s SME/SMP strategy in 2016. A series of break-out sessions were also held in order to study the manner in which accountants can help SMEs grow and the following topics were addressed on setting up a company and getting funding, employing the adequate staff, starting the business and transferring ownership.
The FEE Members’ Assembly Brussels,
16 December 2015
On the 16 of December 2015, The Federation of European Accountant (FEE) hosted in Brussels, Members’ Assembly Statutory Assembly that takes place each year in December in the European capital.
On this occasion, European professional bodies representatives met for an evaluation and reporting session at the end of the year, and also for convening upon issues related to the FEE strategy and the Federation governing structures.
Three new applications were submitted to the Assembly vote namely: the Union of Accountants, Auditors and Financial Workers in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Association of Accounting and Auditors of the Republic of Srpska (as full member), the Association of Accountants of Latvia (as associate member) and EGIAN.
At the FEE Members’ Assembly in Brussels, the vote of CECCAR was mandated to the FEE vice-president representing the Romanian accounting profession within the Federation.
The Ordinary Meeting of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board,
Toronto – 8-11 December 2015, Toronto
The International Federation of Accountants hosted on 8-11 December 2015, in Toronto, the ordinary meeting of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board, where the member representative of the Romanian accountancy profession was also present.
The first part of the meeting was dedicated to administrative and governance issues, to reporting concerning members’ activities over the last trimester of 2015 and to reviewing the IASB action plan and EPSAS updates.
The main topics under discussion during the meeting focused on IPSASB projects regarding business combinations in the public sector, on public sector financial instruments and updates on IPSAS 28-30, employee benefits, on reviewing the requirements regarding cash accounting, carbon emission trading schemes and heritage assets.
Moreover, members discussed the evolutions of the Public Interest Committee and of the Consultative Group regarding working procedures, as well as issues related to the public sector standard setters Forum that will be held in 2016.
The IFAC Council Meeting and the Singapore Accountancy Convention
November 11-12, 2015
On November 11, 2015, CECCAR attended the ordinary meeting of the IFAC Council, organized in Singapore by the International Federation of Accountants. On this occasion, the IFAC management, executive officers and the chairmen of the IFAC boards and committees reported to the member bodies on the activities undertaken by the Federation in 2015.
The Council also received a presentation on IFAC strategy for 2016-2018 and the action plan for 2016 and approved the inclusion of two new associate members (ONECCA Burkina Faso and VACPA Vietnam).
The IFAC Council meeting was followed by the Singapore Accountancy Convention, an international event co-organised by IFAC and the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA) on “Leading Change, the Asian Way”.
The expert gathered at the event discussed about technological changes, the opportunities created by the digital revolution for professional accountants and the changes of their roles within their organisation. Other subjects discussed included the digitalization-related threats, with an emphasis on cyber security and the reasons why accountants should take measures to ensure the security of financial information and intellectual property.
The debates also approached other relevant themes in the current dynamic environments, such as risk management and combating money laundering, accounting for revenue in the context of the new standard on revenues or the OECD project on Base Erosion and profit Shifting (BEPS).
The Edinburgh Group Annual General Assembly and Meeting Singapore,
November 10, 2015
On November 10, 2015, the Edinburgh Group Annual General Assembly and meeting took place in Singapore, CECCAR participating in these events through its representative in this organization.
The debates mainly focused on small and medium-sized entities, in the context of the ongoing research performed by the Group on “SME Access to Finance”. The participants discussed the current situation of SMPs and SMEs in Europe, as well as the global concerns and the activities of the IFAC SMP Committee.
The Group also analysed the papers on the agendas of the IFAC Council and Board and discussed the relevant concerns with the IFAC Leadership Group.
La réunion du Conseil de l’IFAC et la Conférence pour la Comptabilité de Singapore,
11-12 novembre 2015
Le 11 novembre 2015, le CECCAR a participé à la séance ordinaire du Conseil de l’IFAC organisée à Singapore par la Fédération Internationale des Comptables. Lors de cet événement, la direction de l’IFAC, les membres de l’exécutif et les présidents des conseils et des comités de l’IFAC ont rapporté aux organismes membres sur les activités déroulées par la Fédération au parcours du 2015.
De plus, on a présenté aux membres la stratégie de l’IFAC pour 2016-2018 aussi que le plan d’activité pour 2016 et on a approuvé aussi l’adhésion de deux nouveaux membres associés (ONECCA Burkina Faso et VACPA Ouzbékistan).
La réunion du Conseil de l’IFAC a été suivie par la Conférence pour la Comptabilité de Singapore, un événement de tenue internationale organisé par IFAC en partenariat avec l’Institut des Comptables Agréés de Singapore (ISCA) sur le thème « Direction du changement selon le modèle de l’Asie ».
Les spécialistes présents à cette occasion ont échangé sur des changements technologiques, sur les opportunités générées par la révolution numérique au bénéfice des professionnels comptables et sur l’évolution de leur rôle dans le cadre de leurs organisations. De plus, on a discuté les menaces apportées par la numérisation, avec accent sur la sécurité informatique et les raisons pour lesquels les praticiens comptables doivent prendre des mesures afin de garantir la sécurité des informations financières et de la propriété intellectuelle.
Ensuite, les débats ont touché aussi d’autres aspects pertinentes pour le milieu dynamique courant comme par exemple la gestion des risques et la lutte contre le blanchiment d’argent, la comptabilité des revenus dans le contexte due la nouvelle norme sur les revenus ou le projet de l’OECD sur l’Érosion de la base d’imposition et transfert de bénéfices (BEPS).
The European Union, a Reality and an Opportunity for French chartered accountant and their clients
Over time and through its evolution the European Union has increasingly become the new area for the development of French chartered accountants’ activities. It affects and alters their professional lives as well as that of their firms and more generally how the profession of chartered accountant functions in France and in other European Member States. How do we understand the evolution of a regulated profession following the establishment of European directives impacting it? How do we best advantage and accompany our clients in this new economic area?
The construction of the European project has been long and winding, born long before the middle of the 20th century[1] but which only actually materialized after the World War II. The influence of the European Union, with its motto “United in Diversity”, has never been so influential on our professional or personal life, than since introduction and adoption of the Euro currency on 1 January 2002.
The European Union (EU) is the first economic power in the world, ahead of the United States, China and Japan, with a 2014 GDP of 13 900 billion constant Euros. Five European member states (Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy and Spain) are responsible for 71.4% of the EU’s GDP[2].
Despite this, the European Union is in the midst of an internal crisis marked by a rise of Euroscepticism during the 2014 European election campaigns where the EU often served as a scapegoat for this crisis.
The implementation of the “Services”, “Recognition of professional qualifications”, “Accounting” EU Directives[3] and their transpositions into French law, have altered the regulatory landscape of French chartered accountants.
Should this be a source of concern or of opportunity? Chartered accountants have chosen.
The impacts of EU legislation are negative and positive for Chartered accountants.
On one hand, they may feel competition from other European chartered accountants following the recognition of European diploma and the opening of their firms to outside capital funding. This competition can cause a decrease in the rates of services provided to clients and an increased concentration of firms at the expense of smaller firms.
However at the same time, with this new European market, they may develop their activities, leave the country, increase their professional mobility and become more intellectually and culturally diverse, and notably be able to develop EU wide based firms or networks. This European opening allows the profession to diversify in order to better adapt to the globalized economy of the 21st century.
Small and medium-sized companies constitute the majority of Chartered accountant’s clients in the 28 EU member states. In 2013, the majority, 99.8%, of the companies were in the non-finance sector of the market economy, representing 21.6 million companies. They employed 66.8% of European employees, i.e. 88.8 million people and contributed to 58.1% of value added at factor cost, or 3 666 billion Euros (28% of EU GDP).
To offer the best assistance and services to clients in the EU, some adaptations are necessary and desirable, among them: strengthening or learning other European languages and having a computer and digital ecosystem that resembles that of the clients and their markets. In fact, digital technology has abolished European borders and distances. Now is the time to seize this opportunity! The combination of effective and inexpensive communication systems and easy air and train transportation, make affluent and good European markets more and more accessible to professionals.
Thus, the major and “only” obstacles seeming to block Chartered accountants from servicing SMEs in the EU are: social law, tax law, national languages and psychological barriers which are all surmountable as long as accounting professionals are motivated, have confidence in their ability to open up to others, and view the European Union as our common living space and national territory.
Once these barriers are overcome, everything becomes simple and possible: Let’s go! And thus, a French company that sells in Germany will no longer be “exporting” but simply trading!
But one last question arises: How can we conceive of serving a client in the European Union, a Union which actually puts into question its very founding principles?
About the author:
Mr Petrovski Stefan is a Chartered Accountant working in the International Business Services department of an accounting and consulting firm in Paris (La Défense business district), which provides services to French branches and subsidiaries of international groups.
The Renewal of the CPD Memorandum of Understanding between CECCAR and ACCA
On 26 October 2015, CECCAR hosted, at its main offices, a meeting between the President of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Ms Alexandra Chin, and the President of CECCAR, Prof. Robert Aurelian Șova, PhD. This bilateral meeting was an opportunity to consolidate the relationship between CECCAR and ACCA and to renew the Memorandum of Understanding on the recognition of continuous professional development hours for members of both bodies.
ACCA signed an memorandum of understanding with CECCAE in 2003 providing for the recognition of ACCA members as expert accountants in Romania, following the submission of their file with CECCAR, subject to the approval of the Body’s Standing Board, and in 2009, CECCAR and ACCA signed a new memorandum of understanding regarding continuous professional development. The additions and changes to the initial agreement refer to the recognition of CPD requirements, and further measures will be taken subsequently regarding other exemption accreditations for professional accountants, members of CECCAR in relation with obtaining an ACCA qualification.
The KIBR Annual Auditing Conference 21-23 October 2015, Jachranka, Poland
During 21-23 October 2015, the National Chamber of Statutory Auditors in Poland (KIBR) hosted in Jachranka the 16th edition of the Annual Auditing Conference, with the theme “Developments in financial reporting
and auditing”, a prestigious event on the regional agenda, where CECCAR was represented by its Honorary President.
The conference, which was structured in five sessions organized over three days, discussed the profession’s major concerns in the context of the recent legislative changes in Europe. In addition to the international trends in financial reporting and auditing, the debates focused on the developments in accounting and financial reporting, the developments in auditing, and the developments in the audit quality assurance and oversight systems, as well as on the impact of these developments on the future of the audit profession.
The Federation of European Accountants and IDW partner for a better cooperation among member bodies:
22 October 2015, Brussels
On 22 October 2015, FEE hosted in Brussels, in cooperation with the Institut der Wirtschaftsprüfer (IDW) of Germany, an event fostering an exchange of experience dedicated to the member bodies’ communication specialists who are involved in specific activities (publications and other communications, websites and social media, public relations/lobbying, government relations, membership campaigns, marketing programs).
The goal of this event, in which CECCAR was also represented, was to pool the experiences of peers from all member bodies and to understand how FEE might support communication specialists in their daily activity.
The meeting of the FEE Tax Policy Group and the VAT Task Force, and the “Future of VAT” Roundtable,
20-21 October 2015, Brussels
During 20-21 October, CECCAR was represented through its FEE ambassador in the events organized on taxation matters in Brussels.
The first day was dedicated to the FEE Tax Policy Group and the VAT Task Force meeting, which discussed current issues such as the European Commission’s consultation on VAT simplification for cross-border commercial transactions, the European Commission’s public consultation paper Modernising VAT for cross-border e-commerce, the European Commission’s public consultation on enhancing transparency and future projects for improving the profession’s reputation and the Questionnaire on the Code of Conduct.
During the second day, FEE organized the “Future of VAT” Roundtable, with the theme: “Destination: one stop shop – The potential impact of changing the VAT place of supply rules“. A part of the “Future of VAT” series of roundtables, the event gave rise to discussions on high-level policies regarding the potential impact of changing the taxation place of supply rules. The main topics on the agenda were: the options available for changing the place of supply, challenges – from SMEs to Ministries of Finance, solutions for smoothing change.
The Fourth Congress of the Consiglio Nazionale dei Dottori Commercialisti e degli Esperti Contabili of Italy,
15-17 October 2015
CNDCEC organized during 15-17 October 2015, in Milano, the fourth Congress of the Italian accounting and auditing profession, an event in which CECCAR was represented at the highest level.
This year, the Italian accountants chose to discuss simplification as a means for development and the role of the accounting profession as a driver of growth. The Congress sessions approached sensitive subjects for the profession in the current context: promoting innovation and competitiveness, the simplification of regulations and the challenges of the current models, but also equipping entrepreneurs and citizens with the necessary tools that would allow them to interact with an increasingly dynamic, multicultural and technologically advanced market.
This year’s Congress has been a special one, benefiting from the added value of taking place in the remarkable environment of EXPO Milano, a fact that inspired a series of themes related to sustainable development and the way in which the profession could help supporting the planet and the future of society.
The Congress of the Expert Accountants Order from France: The Digital Accountant – Paris, 30th of September – 2nd of October 2015
Over 6,000 participants, more than 400 foreign guests, among which 34 national and international bodies presidents, including the president of the Body of Expert and Licensed Accountants of Romania, 2 plenary sessions and dozens of professional conferences along 3 days where debates focused on a challenging and very fresh topic: The Digital Accountant: the trio clients – practices – partners.
This year Congress in Paris represented the climax of a campaign occasioned by the celebration of 70 years since the creation of the French accountants’ institution and the occasion could not have been more appropriate for giving the stage to remarkable speakers. The French prime-minister, Mr Manuel Valls, took the floor during an extraordinary plenary session in order to reaffirm the trustful relation between the local administration and the accounting profession, while also stressing the need to anticipate the administrative transformations brought by the digitization of the economy.
We must also recall the presence during the plenary sessions of the Congress in Paris of the IFAC president, Ms Olivia Kirtley, of the AICPA vice-president, as well that of the ACCA CEO, Ms Helen Brandt.
On this occasion, numerous agreements were concluded in the presence of the international guests, agreements regarding international cooperation and national partnership conventions. Additionally, the campaign for the promotion of the next Congress of the Order was launched; this is intended to be a truly international event and will take place in September 2016 in the European capital, at Expo Brussels.
The 70th Congress of the French accounting profession Paris,
30 September – 2 October 2015
The Ordre des Experts-Comptables of France organised during 30 September – 2 October 2015 the 70th anniversary edition of the Congress of the French Accounting Profession, held at the Palais des Congrès in Paris, and having as its main theme “The digital accountant – practices, clients, and partners”.
As stated by the President of the French institute, Mr Philippe Arraou, in the opening remarks, „2015 is the year in which the accounting profession should take the new opportunities that arise, to organise itself in order to make its entrance in the digital economy and become one of its essential players”.
This year, the conferences and workshops of the French accounting profession Congress took into account three directions: adapting traditional engagements with the help of digital systems for the modernisation of expert accountants; the development of new segments of activity and new engagements based on digital systems, allowing expert accountants to be innovators; and effectiveness and performance of a practice’s organization, allowing expert accountants to become real entrepreneurs.
As in the previous years, the Congress of the Ordre des Experts-Comptables of France represented a key event for the European and international profession, bringing together an impressive number of professionals from all over Europe, among which CECCAR was represented, once again, at the highest level.
Belgrade, 29th of September 2015: The Anniversary Assembly of the Serbian Association of Accountants and Auditors
On the occasion of the 60th anniversary since its creation, the Serbian Association of Accountants and Auditors hosted on the 29th of September 2015, a celebrating Conference that took place in Belgrade and reunited various guests from neighbouring countries, including Romania. Representatives of the CECCAR Timis branch travelled to Belgrade on this occasion and joined the attendance celebrating together with SAAA six decades since the creation of the Serbian professional body.
The meeting of the General Assembly and Board of the Fédération Internationale Des Experts-Comptables Francophones
On 29 September 2015, the Fédération Internationale Des Experts-Comptables Francophones (FIDEF) organised in Paris the meetings of the Managing Board and the General Assembly, in which CECCAR participated through its representative in this decision-making structures of the Federation.
The two meetings, which discussed and agreed upon issues related to organisation, planning and financing, were followed by a technical meeting for the members, on 30 September.
The meeting of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board,
22-25 September 2015, Toronto
The meeting of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board took place during 22-25 September 2015 in Toronto, CECCAR attending this meeting through its representative in the IPSASB.
The first part of this work meeting was dedicated to administrative and governance issues, as well as a discussion regarding matters relevant to public sector accounting, such as IASB’s work plan and the latest evolutions concerning EPSAS.
The most important issues considered during the meeting focused on IPSASB’s ongoing projects, such as the cash basis exposure draft review, the public sector financial instruments draft consultation paper review, the approval of the impairment of revalued assets exposure draft and the public sector combinations exposure draft review.
The meeting also discussed a series of other projects, among which issues related to revenue, emissions trading schemes, employee benefits, heritage assets, as well as issues regarding the organization of future events, such as the Public Sector Standard Setters Forum in 2016.
The European Federation of Accountants Members’ Assembly and the FEE strategic workshops,
22-23 September 2015
The Federation of European Accountants (FEE) organised in Amsterdam, during 22-23 September 2015, several strategic workshops of the FEE Members’ Assembly, which discussed both governance issues and the future of the European Accounting profession. The representative of the Body of Expert and Licensed Accountants of Romania also attended at these events.
The first strategic workshop focused on FEE’s future actions, more specifically, the “Future of Corporate Reporting”, and the second workshop discussed public finance and taxation. The strategic workshops held in the second day of the meeting debates issues related to governance and the future of the profession, specifically, the future of advisory services, accounting and audit, future perspectives on the auditing profession, and the ways in which the profession could reinvent itself.
On this occasion, the Members’ Assembly also received the member bodies’ reports, and the participants had the opportunity to liaise with representatives of the European Commission on matters pertaining to the future structure and organisation of the accounting profession.
The meeting of the Accountancy Profession Strategic Forum of Central and Eastern Europe
11 September 2015, London
On 11 September 2015, CECCAR participated in the meeting Accountancy Profession Strategic Forum (APSF) in London, through its representative in this working structure.
The debates approached issues related to current challenges in quality assurance monitoring and the stages of developing a quality assurance network. This permanent network, a project facilitated by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), will be sustained through a social media platform that would allow information exchanges, a series of technical workshops held over a period of two years, as well as the organization of work visits for the members of the APSF.
The main results envisioned by the quality assurance network, as discussed in London, are as follows: a structured, periodic experience exchange, practical assistance towards the best practices alignment of the participating organisations, the development of common key reference and support materials, informal guidance on strategic issues and a regular communication forum.
Academy of Accounting and Financial Sciences and Techniques
Members of Honor Seminar, 23 July 2015
The Academy of Accounting and Financial Sciences and Techniques of France held its Seminar for the Honorary Members on the 23rd of July, in Paris, a prestigious event at which CECCAR was represented at the highest level.
Among the main topics of discussion were the activities developed by the Working Group “Patrimonial Accounting for the Public Sector” and the Working Group “Seniors, a force in the service of communities”, significant events for the accounting profession which took place in the latest period, as well as the collaborative projects of the Academy with different international professional bodies, including the International Federation of Francophone Accountants (FIDEF).
The Seminar also occasioned a special event namely the intervention of Christian Noyer, Governor of the Bank of France, who discussed the current situation, the economic prospects and actions to be undertaken to support economic recovery.
The Ordinary Meeting of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board,
Toronto – 23-26 June 2015
The International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board met on 23-26 June 2015, in Toronto, for a working meeting, in order to discuss and approve current project related to public sector accounting, and CECCAR representative in IPSASB was also present at this meeting.
The first day was dedicated to administrative and governance issues (approval of Minutes and Decision Summary from March 2015 meeting, report on activities and communications activities, summary of IASB Work Plan and EPSAS updates), as well as to the approval of the Consultation Paper on Social Benefits.
Over the following three days, IPSASB members approved the Exposure draft Consequential changes from chapters 1-4 of Conceptual Framework, they discussed several on-going projects (relating to Revenue, Public sector combinations, Emissions trading schemes, Public sector financial instruments) and draw up the action direction for the Task Based Groups of IPSASB.
OECD 2015 Forum: Investing in the Future: People, Planet, Prosperity
Held in Paris every year to coincide with the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting, the Forum of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has emerged as a major international conference. Leaders and influencers from all sectors of civil society (former and current heads of state and government, CEOs, leaders of key NGOs and trade unions, prominent members of academia and media, gather to debate the most pressing social and economic challenges confronting OECD members and not only.
Around 1,900 participants from all over the world, including CECCAR representatives, could connect to the trends and opportunities shaping our societies, could take part in exchanges of ideas and experiences policies and ideas during almost 50 sessions of plenary debates, parallel sessions, IdeaFactories, Discovery labs, lunch debates, and Discussion Cafés.
The 2015 Forum discussions followed five themes: Investment, Inclusive growth, Innovation, Climate, and Sustainable Development Goals. Certainly, the overriding theme this year was Investment, which is the first priority of the agenda for Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands, who chaired the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting which was held this year on June 3, simultaneously with the Forum debates, where he reinforced member governments’ commitment to improving the quality and effectiveness of investment to answer recent economic challenges.
Amongst the high profile speakers at the 2015 Forum we must mention the President of the French Republic, M. François Hollande, the Minister for Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy in France, Ms Segolene Royal, Ms Arancha Gonzalez, Executive Director of the International Trade Centre, Ms Helen Clark, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme and, last but not the least, the Mayor of Rotterdam City, M. Ahmed Aboutaleb.
The Executive Board of the International Federation of Francophone Accountants
21-23 May 2015
The meeting of the executive board of the International Federation of Francophone Expert Accountants (FIDEF) at which the representative of the Body of Expert and Licensed Accountants of Romania (CECCAR) also participated took place in Montreal on 22 May 2015.
On that occasion, the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICCA) – which hosted the event – organized on 21 May 2015 a visit to the translations bureau of the institute during which the functioning of the most important sectors of the Canadian accounting profession was presented.
The meeting of the FIDEF Board Executive was followed, in the afternoon of 22 May, by a workshop with the CPA Canada senior officials on the subject of Canadian experience and profession development in the context of an organization which gathers all categories of professionals.
The Audit and Assurance Policy Working Group of the Federation of European Accountants
Working Session on 20 May 2015
The members of the Audit and Assurance Policy Working Group of the Federation of European Accountants (FEE) held on 20 May a regular session in which the specialist for the audit and assurance from the Body of Expert and Licensed Accountants of Romania (CECCAR) also participated.
The agenda of the session was very ambitious addressing various aspects of great interest for the profession. In the early part of the day, discussions focused on the audit policy of the FEE (the projects in progress, the study concerning the adoption of the ISAs, various reactions regarding the audit reform at the European level, as well as the public oversight in Europe). Another issue of great interest was a potential project regarding the audit quality and the indicators of the audit quality.
Other aspects addressed in that session were the future of the audit and assurance (the projects in progress and the organization of the audit conference on 22-23 June 2015), assurance in public sector (the study’s results regarding the audit performance and the information document concerning the compliance audit). The session has been concluded with reports from members regarding the national developments of the audit policy and the approval of the dates of the following sessions and conference-calls of the working group.
The Working Group Session for Financial Reporting Policies,
Brussels, 18 May 2015
The Working Group for Financial Reporting Policies (CRPG) of the Federation of European Accountants (FEE) met in a working session in Brussels (FEE offices) on 18 May having as main issue on the agenda the finalisation of the discussion Paper The future of corporate reporting – the creation of a change dynamics.
The discussions, in which the CECCAR representative participated, on that draft document focused on those domains which will influence, most likely, the evolutions of corporative reporting. In this session, participants have been identified various modes of solving the main challenges and stimulation of the debate between the members of the Federation.
Federation of European Accountants: Tax Policy Group and the VAT Task Force Meeting
The Tax Policy Group and the VAT Task Force of the Federation of European Accountants (FEE) met for a working session on 30 April 2015 at the seat of FEE in Brussels. The first part of the session focused on internal matters and also on the presentation of the most recent initiatives in the area (Tax Day, updates at European Commission level).
In this session, also attended by the CECCAR representative at FEE for taxation issues, discussions also focused on FEE position papers on the European Commission project on transparency and EU VAT regime, but also on the subsequent most important events in this area (the next round table on VAT, the VAT Forum, and the Group of Experts on VAT of the European Commission).
FEE Tax Day – 29 April 2015 – Brussels
The Future of Tax Policy: A Matter of Society as a Whole
The Federation of European Accountants (FEE) organized the Tax Day, on 29 April 2015, with the central theme the future of tax policy and a sub-theme the role of the tax policy makers, of the public administration and the taxpayers. The CECCAR representative at FEE for taxation issues was present for this event in Brussels.
The start of the seminar consisted in discussing the key models in the area of accounting and taxation (the President of FEE, the Director of the Centre for Tax Policy and Administration of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Deputy Director General for State Aids at the European Commission’s Directorate General for Competition) which set the tone for subsequent discussions.
The three subsequent sections led to debates about the following matters: the impact of the current policy initiatives on the accounting practice and how these transform the current professional community; the tension between cooperation and competition, between sustainable tax system and protection of national tax bases; future developments in the tax area at European level.
The Accountancy Profession Strategic Forum 2015, Athens – 23 April 2015
On April 23, The Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Greece (SOEL) was the host of the Accountancy Profession Strategic Forum (APSF), event which has already a tradition. This year, the sessions of the Forum focused on identifying ways by which professional bodies can cooperate for insuring their development and a great relevance for national economies. The representative of the accounting profession from Romania also participated in this Forum.
The sessions of the Forum followed on various tracks for the discussion which had as start of point an introductory speech from the key-players of the accounting profession – the Federation of European Accountants, the World Bank Centre for Financial Reporting Reform (CFRR), the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), and the European Commission.
Several themes of great interest for the accountancy profession were addressed: the long-term evolution of professional accounting bodies after the European reforms in the audit and quality assurance area and the relations with the public interest oversight councils – how international cooperation can help, redefining relevance of professional bodies according to administrations and other interested parties, general strategy of professional bodies and their role in education, training and continuing professional development.
The second part of this Forum was dedicated to the relationship between professional bodies and public sector, the view of the public interest oversight councils was presented to the public, but also the means by which the professional bodies can learn, propose and exchange the application experience to accommodate to the transformations taking place in the accounting profession. The Forum concluded by focusing on identifying, with help from those who were present, specific sectors in which the Accountancy Profession Strategic Forum (APSF) can increase its work, the practical means in which the Forum can support the professional bodies in the short and long term.
The Meeting of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB)
On the 10-13 of March 2015, the members of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board, including the representative of the Romanian accounting profession, met in Santiago (Chile) in order to discuss the latest projects carried out by IPSASB.
The meeting agenda opened with a report on the Board activities and communications initiatives, followed by an update on the European Public Sector Accounting Standards (EPSASs), as well as a summary of the IASB Work Plan.
Over the four working days, IPSASB members submitted for approval several Consultation Papers on social benefits, reporting service performance, government business enterprises, and reviewed current developments and issues under discussion with particular standards (such as standards relating to financial instruments or public sector combinations).
Other topics of interest for the accounting profession that were discussed on the IPSASB Meeting Agenda in Chile included: the approval of the IPSASB Final Work Plan for 2015 and 2016, sovereign debt restructurings under IPSASs, emissions trading schemes, the meeting being closed by a debate on the new IFRS 15 issued by IASB.
Meeting of the Federation of European Accountants SMPs Forum 18th of February 2015
The Federation of European Accountants (FEE) hosted on the 18th of February the meeting of the Small and Medium Practices Forum on The future of SMPs in a global society. The event received, as special guests, members of IFAC SMP Committee. C.E.C.C.A.R. representative in the FEE SMPs Forum also attended the working meeting in Brussels.
The first part of the meeting was dedicated to presenting the most recent European evolutions that are aimed at optimizing SMPs activity, as well as to discussing the actions taken by IFAC in order to support small and medium practices and their clients, the SMEs, in the context of a globalised market (amongst these projects, the IFAC Global SMP Survey, the results thereof being presented during one of the meeting sessions).
Discussion panels and networking sessions provided the participants with the opportunity of discussing the way in which practices can prepare for the future and how they can optimize their services: strategic management, business reshaping, turning to recent technological developments (cloud computing, big data).
The Extraordinary Conference of the Academy of Accounting Sciences and Techniques in Paris: Public and Private Accounting, International Standards, Governance – December 17, 2014 – Paris
On the 10th Anniversary of the Academy of Accounting Sciences and Techniques in Paris as reflexion and communication forum for professionals in the field of accounting, management, audit and finance, the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Numbers in France hosted, on December 17, 2014 the Extraordinary Conference dedicated to Public and Private Accounting, to its benefits for enterprises and public sector, for accounting standard-setting in the Francophone sphere and globally.
As introduction, the President of the Academy of Accounting Sciences and Techniques presented the most recent projects initiated by the institute that had managed, through its members, to become an “intellectual and technical community” for experts in the field. Issues on the agenda were of general interest and relevance for the French and the Francophone professionals: the general chart of accounts in 2014 and updates from the Accounting Standards Authority, challenges and solutions for public and private sector accounting, the impact of standard-setting and international accounting governance on enterprises.
Numerous French and international figures responded the invitation and took the floor on this great occasion (including the recipient of the 2014 Nobel Prize in Economics); among the international guests, the President of the Romanian Branch of the Academy of Accounting Sciences and Techniques also attended the event.
Federation of European Accountants: Members Assembly
December 17, 2014
On December 17, 2014 FEE Members’ Assembly met in Brussels, for its statutory meeting in order to decide on issues related to the Federation operations and structure (financial statements, new applications, FEE Regulation amendments, nominating vice-presidents and the deputy president for 2015/2016, strategy and budget). The representatives of the Body of Expert and Licensed Accountants of Romania also attended the Members’ Assembly.
This meeting was preceded by a reunion with the FEE team and leaders of the profession where members could discuss directly to FEE team about their main concerns and the stage of the international and European policies. On this occasion, attendants exchanged views on the activities of the profession and of the Federation at international and EU level, they discussed together with leaders of the European Accounting profession and from the strategy perspective about the future of professional organisations as well as about the impact of the recent regulatory trends on the activity of professional accountants, of practices and of professional organisations.
The Ordinary Meeting of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board, Toronto
December 8-11, 2014
The first day of the IPSAS Board was dedicated to reporting on IPSASB communication activities, on EPSAS updates, as well as to presenting a review of IASB Working Plan. IPSASB members – amongst which the representative of the Romanian accounting profession, tackled issues concerning the approval and the first time application of international public sector accounting standards.
The three working days that followed focused on technical issues. Members reviewed several IPSASB Consultation documents related to various aspects (social benefits, public sector financial instruments, reporting on service provision) and approved IPSAS amendments and the final form of the IPSASB Strategy and Working Plan.
“Future of VAT” Roundtable and the FEE Tax Policy Group and VAT Task Force Meeting hosted by the Federation of European Accountants Brussels 18-19 November 2014
On 18 November 2014, the Federation of European Accountants hosted a round table aiming at analysing the opportunity of a new approach for the cooperation between taxpayers and taxation authorities, but also looking at the VAT-related cross-border rulings.
Taking into focus the „Future of VAT”, this discussion round table represented a unique opportunity for the profession to exchange with the business community, the academics as well as national and European tax policymakers on the new European Union VAT initiatives.
Participants to this round table included both members of the FEE Working parties, among which CECCAR representative in the FEE Tax Policy Group, European Commission officials as well as national tax authorities representatives from several Member States and players in the European business environment, the latter supporting the business community perspective on the recent EU fiscal initiatives.
This reunion was followed, on November 19, by the FEE Tax Policy Group and the VAT Task Force meeting where CECCAR was represented by its specialist on taxation matters.
The World Congress of Accountants 2014
10 -13 November 2014, Rome
The World Congress of Accountants takes place every 4 years, under the auspice of IFAC and is the foremost international event for the accountancy profession, attracting the leadership of the profession, including individuals in public accounting firms, academia, global and local enterprises, and professional institutes, as well as thousands of accountants, regulators, standard setters and others focused on the development of a high quality global accountancy profession.
And as all roads go to Rome, this year the paths of over 4,000 professionals from more than 130 organisations and institutions from all over the world intersected on 10-13 November, in the Italian capital. A unique opportunity for the accountancy profession to leverage on past experiences and to develop a new vision for the future, the 2014 World Congress was dedicated to the theme “2020 VISION: LEARNING FROM THE PAST, BUILDING THE FUTURE”
As member of the International Federation of Accountants, the Body of Expert and Licensed Accountants of Romania has constantly engaged into global activities dedicated to the accounting profession. In this context, a delegation from the Romanian Body attended the most relevant sessions of the Congress in Rome and CECCAR representative in the IFAC SMPs Committee took the floor during one of the parallel sessions Challenges in implementing the new European accounting directives of 2013.
The Congress technical program was a very ambitious one due to its wide scope (three plenaries and 30 parallel sessions), but also due to the diversity of the agenda topics (the evolution of financial reporting, international education standards, corporate governing, integrated reporting, SMEs assistance, technological innovation, are just some of the topic under debate). Several regional and international organisations capitalized on the large number of professional attending the event and on the enhanced visibility provided by such a significant reunion and hosted social events in the proximity of the World Congress dates. In this stream of events, on the 9th of November, the Edinburgh Group held its ordinary meeting and General Assembly; on November 10, CILEA held the Council Meeting and its General Assembly in Roma and on the 15th of November, IFAC hosted the SMPs Committee meeting.
The 31st Session of the Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting (ISAR) – Geneva, 15–17 October 2014
The 31st session of ISAR was held on 15-17 October 2014, in Geneva and the main topic was monitoring of compliance and enforcement of international corporate reporting standards and codes. Like in previous years, the CECCAR representative attended the ISA-UNCTAD events held in Geneva.
Before the ISAR session, a technical workshop was held on the 13th of October which discussed the future direction of corporate reporting model. This year’s ISAR working session was part of the UNCTAD World Investment Forum (WIF) which was held from 14 to 16 October at the Palais des Nations. This global Forum was dedicated to the inclusive dialogue and policy formulation on investment-development needs and it brought together investment partners to discuss challenges, opportunities and policy solutions to meet the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Congress of the Institute of Chartered Accountants from France,
Lyon, 8-10 October 2014
The Institute of Chartered Accountants from France held, on 8-10 October 2014, in Lyon, the 69th Congress of the French Profession with the motto: A changing world: courage, action, achievement. As we are used to, the Congress of the French Accounting Profession has become, over its 3-day works, a real storm of ideas and solutions focused on three poles of debates: understanding the challenges of change, ways to adapt and benefits for the practices.
Two plenary sessions, simultaneous conferences on themes of great interest for the accounting practices focused on evolution, adaptation, reinvention of the professional accounting profile, marketing and management practices, micro-conferences on related topics, workshops and exhibition for partners provided the numerous attendance with the necessary tools and knowledge to handle a profession in continuous movement, to integrate the developments in the environment, to respond to their clients’ expectations and to cope with future challenges.
At this event of great significance, the accounting profession from Romania was represented at the highest level.
The Council and General Assembly of the International Federation of Francophone Accountants,
7 October 2014, Lyon
On 7 October 2014 FIDEF – the International Federation which brings together professional accounting bodies from the French speaking community – held its Council meeting where CECCAR Council representative was also present.
The Council agenda put on the table issues regarding cooperation activities with international and regional organizations and other possible actions and cooperation projects, the approval of the action plan and the calendar of events up to the next Council meeting, as well as administrative issues such as the draft budget, establishing membership contributions, the analysis of the candidates to the Council of directors and organizing the next FIDEF Conference.
Over the second part of the day, FIDEF General Assembly took place where the General Assembly minutes in October 2013, the 2013 annual financial statements, the treasurer’s and the auditor’s financial reports, the budget on 2015 and the level of dues were presented and approved.
The project “The small enterprises batch” for the French profession was presented and discussed with the General Assembly, members discussed on the IFAC Code of Ethics and Members’ Activity reports were submitted. On this occasion, Mr Mamour FALL, the President of the Senegal Order of Certified Accountants was appointed as the new FIDEF President.
IASB and the World Standard-setters Meeting
London, September 29-30, 2014
On the 29-30th of September 2014, London hosted the annual common one-and-a-half-day meeting for world Standard-setters, where CECCAR was represented by its expert on accounting standards. The technical meeting was chaired by the IASB Vice-Chairman who also opened the conference.
The first day sessions focused on discussions around the Conceptual Framework project, on IFRS education and implementation updates in the field of international financial reporting standards, the debates being carried on into small group discussions for comments and answers.
The second day was structured into Optional sessions on various relevant topics: IFRS adoption and translation issues, Post-implementation review (PIR) of IFRS 3 Business Combinations, IFRS education and training matters. The Conference was closed by a common interactive Q&A session where a feedback between IASB and IFASS on work programme was presented.
The SOEL „Future Role of Audit
A More Insightful Audit for a More Complex World”
On the 19th of September 2014, the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Greece (SOEL) hosted the International Conference on the „Future Role of Audit a More Insightful Audit for a More Complex World”.
Together with the members of the Professional accounting institute, the conference reunited Greek government officials, FEE and IFAC representatives who also took the floor for the key-note speeches on the future role of audit and the new trends in the domain. The Body of Experts and Licensed Accountants of Romania was represented to this event by its honorary President.
The Workshop held by the Institute of Statutory Auditors in Belgium
September 19, 2014
The Institute of Statutory Auditors in Belgium held a workshop dedicated to the independent statutory audit of state budgets, on the 19th of September, in Brussels. On this occasion, Belgian, Dutch and French representatives of the public sector and of public control institutions as well as Belgian appraisers were invited to take the floor.
The Romanian accounting profession representative in the IPSAS Board was invited to take part in this workshop and address the audience in order to present the most recent developments in the field of International Accounting Standard for the Public Sector and to share the professional expertise gained in Romania.
The FEE Members’ Assembly
September 17, 2014
On the 17th of September, the Federation of European Accountants hosted the FEE Members’ Assembly at its headquarters in Brussels, where CECCAR was represented at its highest governing structures. The first part of the reunion was dedicated to Members’ and the Board’s reports, updates on FEE strategic priorities as well as on strategic Discussion on Public Sector.
Further onto the Agenda of the meeting, the Assembly received a debriefing on the relationship of our profession with European authorities: EBA, EIOPA and especially ESMA. The meeting was concluded with the discussion of Governance matters: designation of FEE Deputy President 2015-2016, FEE Budget and Finance Committee (BFC) and the reconsideration Correspondent Members’ contribution, the designation of the Board Vice-Presidents for 2015-beyond as well as call for Appointments in several Working Parties.
The Ordinary Meeting of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board,
September 15-18, 2014
On September 15-18, The International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board held its ordinary meeting at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, the opening session being dedicated to the presentation of the Summary of IASB Work Plan, Minutes and Decision Summary from June 2014 meeting, as well as to Governance updates.
The IPSASB Agenda for the following days included the Approval of Final Chapters of the Conceptual Framework, discussions and debates on the Responses to IPSASB Exposure drafts related to the Conceptual Framework, the last day being dedicated to reviewing the sessions subject to approval by the Board (Social Benefits, Public Sector Financial Instruments and the Final Framework).
The IPSASB member representative of the Romanian accounting profession also attended the meeting.
The General Assembly of the Association of Accounting and Financial Sciences and Techniques, the Romanian branch, 5th of September 2014
The General Assembly of the Association of Accounting and Financial Sciences and Techniques, the Romanian branch, took place in Bucharest, on the 5th of September 2014. The aim of this professional structure was the creation and the maintenance of a reflexion and research lab, of an ideas and input exchange stream that gathers experts from all areas, having as common goal the federalization of the profession around certain common interests.
The General Assembly of the September 5, reunited adherent members of the Association, as well as the current Board of Directors.
On the agenda of the General Assembly meeting there were the following actions deemed as necessary for the good organisation and functioning of the Association, namely: the renewal of the Board of Directors for the following 3-year term, the election of the Chair of the Board of Directors, setting up the action plan for the following term of the Board of Directors, 2014-2017, as well as identifying potential sources of financing the Romanian branch activities.
The Meeting of the SMP Forum of the Federation of European Accountants
June 26, 2014, Brussels
The SMP Forum of the Federation of European Accountants held it meeting on June 26, 2014, within the FEE offices in Brussels.
The meeting’s agenda approached up-to-date issues for the accounting profession and SMPs, among which: online interaction and social networks, innovations for professionals (projects and software applications), the role of the ambassadors and champions. There were also discussions regarding FEE’s initiatives and projects, European trends, and the priorities and future potential projects of the group.
The Body of Expert and Licensed Accountants of Romania participated in this meeting through its representative in the SMP Forum.
The meeting of IPSASB IFAC
June 24-27, 2014, Toronto
The meeting of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB) of IFAC was held in Toronto on June 24-27, 2014, with CECCAR’s representative in the IPSASB attending this meeting.
During the four days of the meeting, the Board members discussed governance related issues (minutes and decisions, reports and communications, the action plan), as well as documents that are currently undergoing an analysis and review process: the conceptual framework, exposure drafts and consultation papers, and the first time adoption of the IPSASs.
The Meeting of the FEE Banks Working Party
June 16, Brussels
The FEE Banks Working Party met on June 16, 2014, at the Federation’s offices in Brussels, for an ordinary meeting in which CECCAR’s representative in this working party also participated.
The meeting’s agenda included the approval of several internal documents and the 2014 calendar of activities and discussions regarding a number of documents and projects involving the Banks Working Party, among which: the IASB Exposure Draft on Accounting for Dynamic Risk Management; the Basel Committee’s consultative document on external audits of banks; the amendment of the Directive 2007/36/EC as regards the encouragement of long-term shareholder engagement and Directive 2013/34/EU as regards certain elements of the corporate governance statement.
The Annual Accountancy Conference of the Accounting Profession in Israel
Eilat, June 8-12, 2014
During June 8-12, 2014, the Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Israel organised its annual conference, a reference point for the accounting profession in Israel, both on a professional and personal level. Honouring the invitation to take part in this well-established event, CECCAR was represented at the ICPAI Conference at the highest level.
This year’s Conference took place in Eilat and was marked by the presence of Mr Fayezul Choudhury, CEO of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), who spoke of the challenges currently faced by the accounting profession in the context of heightened regulatory pressure.
Representatives of the ICPAI governing structures, regulators and fiscal authorities, and members of the academia held speeches during the approximately 5 days of the proceedings. Among the discussed subjects were: Taxation – policies and future legislation; Policy, strategy and management in government companies; The battle against money laundering – legislation, solutions or plain demagogy.
The First Meeting of the FEE Tax Policy Group and VAT Task Force
June 3,2014, Brussels
On June 3, 2014, FEE hosted in its offices in Brussels the first joint meeting of the Tax Policy Group and the VAT Task Force, two newly established operative structures of the Federation of European Accountants (FEE).
The meeting’s agenda included debates on the overall FEE mission and objectives, as well as on the purpose of the Tax Policy Group and the VAT Task Force, in particular, shaping FEE’s tax policy and VAT program.
The meeting, in which CECCAR’s representative for taxation issues participated, was concluded with a session focused in identifying priorities and establishing future actions.
The Regional Forum for Professional Accountancy Organizations and the Ministerial Conference
June 2-3, 2014, Vienna
On June 2, 2014, the World Bank Centre for Financial Reporting Reform (CFRR) organized in Vienna, together with the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), the second Regional Forum for Professional Accountancy Organizations (PAOs). The Forum, which brought together professional accounting organizations from over 20 CFRR partner countries of Central, Southeast and Eastern Europe, focused on “Moving Beyond Traditional Accounting” and was aimed at promoting essential tools for Small and Medium Practices in enhancing the quality of their services, as well as on discussing how PAOs can deliver value to SMEs.
On June 3, CFRR hosted the 5th Ministerial Conference on corporate financial reporting in Europe and Central Asia. Over 250 high-level delegates, among which the representatives of CECCAR and including Ministers of finance, regulators, leaders of the business, professional and academic communities in Europe and Central Asia, and experts from key international and EU institutions, attended this conference.
The central focus of this year’s Conference was supporting reporting frameworks for SMEs, in order to increase opportunities for SMEs to access financing, develop their activities, and support jobs growth and prosperity.
The International Symposium Accounting and Management of Private and Public Sector
May 22-24, 2014 – Zlatibor
Between the 22-24 of May 2014, the Serbian Association of Accountants and Auditors held its 45th Annual International Symposium Accounting and Management of Private and Public Sector, in Zlatibor. The works of the Symposium focused on three main directions: Financial reporting as a basis of quality and arrangement of financial system; the financial and accounting support to the improvement of competitiveness; financial institutions and financial markets – management and development challenges.
Like in previous years, CECCAR was represented to this traditional event in Serbia by the governing structures of the CECCAR Timis Branch.
The Accountancy Profession Strategic Forum
7-8 May 2014, Warsaw – Poland
On May 7-8, 2014, ICAEW held, in cooperation with the National Chamber of Statutory Auditors (KiBR) and the Accountants Association in Poland (SKwP), the 2014 edition of the Accountancy Profession Strategic Forum, where CECCAR’s representative in the IFAC SMPs Committee took the floor as one of the panellists.
The main topics of this year’s forum focused on how professional accountancy organisations
must adapt and evolve to remain relevant in a changing landscape, on the needs of external stakeholders and the national economy as a whole, on the new forms of international cooperation, oversight authorities and stakeholders working together to support national economies, as well as on the implementation of the new EU legal framework.
The Annual OECD Forum
5-6 May 2014, Paris – France
On May 5-6, 2014 Paris was the host of the Annual OECD Forum on the topic “Resilient Economies for Inclusive Societies”, an event where CECCAR was represented at its highest level.
This year edition of the Forum focused on three main topics – Inclusive Growth, Quality Jobs and Trust – thus considering the multi-faced nature of resilience and the possible means of approaching economic, social and environmental challenges.
Debates have raised concerns about the increased inequalities and the uneven distribution of burdens and rewards across, as well as about the ability of our governments and institutions to find equitable, lasting solutions to the crisis.
In this context, the main outreach message of the Forum was that the resilience of our economies, societies and institutions has to be strengthened for the purpose of achieving sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth.
FEE Members’ Assembly
April 30, 2014 – Brussels, Belgium
On the 30th of April 2014, FEE held its Members’ Assembly, in Brussels; CECCAR official representative also attended this event.
The main topics on the Assembly agenda was the Members’ reports, with a special focus on national transposition Accounting Directive and Audit Reform activities, FEE Board Agendas and FEE strategic priorities concerning audit policy, corporate reporting, public sector accounting and tax policy.
The event also occasioned a discussion on the future of audit and assurance, with the aim of analysing the next steps and positions that FEE could take in the context of the latest European developments in the field of Audit.
ECGI General Assembly and Annual Lecture
April 29, 2013 – Brussels, Belgium
ECGI held its General Assembly and Annual Lecture in Brussels, on the 29th of April 2014, and CECCAR was represented at these events by its highest structures.
The General Assembly discussions focused on the main administrative issues concerning the planning of the Institute’s activity, while the Annual Lecture received the presentation of Professor Ernst-Ludwig von Thadden, Rector and Professor of Economics and Finance at the
University of Mannheim, who addressed the theme How good is bad corporate governance.
On this occasion, Professor von Thadden spoke about the aspects that should be taken into consideration when measuring the quality and the impact of corporate governance and about the way in which their recognition and the complexity of corporate governance can improve the empirical understanding and the political evaluation of good corporate governance.
Professor von Thadden speech was followed by a panel debate moderated by ECGI Executive Director, Professor Marco Becht.
International Scientific Conference “Cooperation between Academia Community and Professional Bodies: Solutions and Opportunities for Sustainable Development of Accounting Profession”
4th of April 2014, Chișinău, Republic of Moldova
On the 4th of April 2014, Chisinau was the host of the International Scientific Conference
“Cooperation between Academia Community and Professional Bodies: Solutions and Opportunities for Sustainable Development of Accounting Profession“, an event where CECCAR was represented by its top management structures.
The Conference was occasioned by the anniversary of the Accountant’s Day celebrated by the Association of Professional Accountants and Auditors in Republic of Moldova (ACAP) in partnership with the Academy of Economic Studies in Moldova (ASEM) and ACCA.
The aim of this Conference was to identify and recommend feasible solutions for consolidating and strengthening the cooperation between the academic environment and professional bodies, for a sustainable development of the accounting profession, for increasing the relevance and the quality of the accounting and fiscal framework, as well as for sharing experience, challenges and solutions related to the application of IFRSs, the transition to the new national accounting standards.
The debates were structured into four sessions namely: cooperation between Academia Community and Professional Bodies – upgrading Accounting Education; IFRSs application: experience, challenges and solutions; the transition to the new accounting regulations: implications, controversies, solutions, comments; and developments and focuses on audits in the Republic of Moldova.
The Meeting of the Small and Medium Practices (SMP) Committee of IFAC,
March 13-14, 2014, New York, USA
CECCAR’s representative within the Small and Medium Practices Committee participated, during March 13-14, 2014, in the first 2014 meeting of this committee, which was held by the International Federation of Accountants in New York.
The main discussion topics focused on the committee’s strategy and work plan for 2014, the launching of the new Global Knowledge Gateway on the IFAC website and the development of potential SMP related articles to be included on the gateway, the contributions of the SMP Committee to the activities of other IFAC groups (particularly IAASB and IESBA) and the stage of current projects regarding implementation guidance development, business support and public policy and regulations.
The Meeting of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB) of IFAC,
March 11-14, 2014 – Toronto, Canada
The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) hosted in Toronto, during March 11-14, 2014, the meeting of the IPSASB, to which CECCAR attended through its representative within this board.
The first day of the meeting was mostly dedicated to governance related issues and the current strategy and work plan of the IPSASB, as well as to the progress achieved in IPSASB’s current projects and the developments of other major interest issues, such as the EPSASs.
Over the next two days, discussions were mainly centred on the conceptual framework and the completion of this highly important project, while the last day of the debates focused on the IPSASB’s projects related to government business entities, public sector financial instruments and social benefits.
The General Assembly of the Members of the Federation of European Accountants
December 18, 2013, Brussels
On December 18, 2013, FEE gathered for the ordinary meeting of the Federation in Brussels, where CECCAR was present through its authorised representative, the General Director of the Body.
At the opening of the meeting, attendants had the opportunity to talk to the FEE team and to share information on the strategic changes at the level of the Union and on an international level. Moreover, those present at the meeting could follow the presentation given by Mr.Fabian Zuleeg, Head of the European Policy Centre, on the economic and politic future of the European Union.
Beside the current issues for discussion during the meeting (issues related to governance, applications’ analysis, approval of financial statements, nominating FEE vice-presidents and the approval of the new 2014 Budget), this reunion represented an opportunity for the attending representatives to have a debate on the future of professional associations, from the point of view of young professionals and trainees’ expectations.
The Seminar of the Honorary Members of the Academy of Accounting and Financial Sciences and Techniques in France
December 12, 2013 – Paris
The Academy of Accounting and Financial Sciences and Techniques in France organized in Paris, on December 12, 2013, the Annual Exceptional Seminar of the Honorary Members, an event which was opened by the President of the Order of Expert Accountants in France, Mr Joseph Zorgniotti, and to which the Romanian Accounting profession was represented by the vice-president of the Romanian Branch of the Academy, Mr Ştefan Bunea.
The Academy also invited, as a special guest, the President of the Court of Accounts, Mr Didier Migault, who was joined during the debates by leaders of large groups or companies in the French business environment.
The Exceptional Seminar of the Honorary Members this year represented a preview of the 10th anniversary of the professional institution that will take place in 2014, with the intervention of Mr William Nahum, who presented the achievements of the Academy in 2013 (workbooks, debates, conferences) as well as the activities scheduled for the following year.
The Meeting of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB) of IFAC
December 2-5, 2013 – Ottawa, Canada
During December 2-5, 2013, the IPSASB met in Ottawa, Canada, at its ordinary meeting. The first day was mostly focused on governance, reporting and communication issues and on updating internal documents, but also on approving exposure drafts, such as those regarding Service Performance Information, Public Sector Financial Instruments and Government Business Enterprises.
Subsequently, the Conceptual Framework was debated and analysed from several perspectives: the coordinator’s report, elements and recognition, timetable and ongoing projects. There were also discussions regarding Measurement, Presentation and GFS (Government Financial Statistics) alignment.
CECCAR was represented at this meeting by its member in the IPSAS Board.
The Workshop on the Communication between Expert Accountants and Enterprisers Emotional Intelligence
November 28, 2013 – Bucharest
On November 28, the Club of Young Expert Accountants of Romania (CTER) hosted an event with the topic The Communication between Expert Accountants and Enterprisers. Emotional Intelligence, attended by numerous young professionals, members of the Club.
The aim of this interactive workshop was to provide young professionals with an additional essential tool for effectively manage abusiness: a communication guide for managing the communication between the professional accountant and the enterpriser.
Those present at the event could engage in a free dialogue with the Club’s project managers and with the special guests (experienced young professionals, specialised in the field of management, accountancy and taxation) on topics related to the means of managing professional relations, on the correct delivery of the professional message, in a clear and accessible manner, on performance through the development and the consolidation of team spirit, the acknowledgment of emotions and of their effect on human behaviour as well as on active availability and the management of conflicts.
The EU VAT Forum Sub-group
November 20, 2013 in Brussels, Belgium
On November 20, 2013, CECCAR attended the 3rd meeting of the sub-group on proof of supply in intra-Community transactions within the VAT Forum.
This meeting aimed at accomplishing the report on the future of VAT and the issue of several recommendations for the VAT Forum regarding the proof of supply in intra-Community transactions.
Edinburgh Group Meeting and General Assembly and the IFAC Council Meeting
November 12-14, 2013 in Seoul, South Korea
On 12-14th of November 2013, Seoul – South Korea, was the host of the Edinburgh Group Meeting and General Assembly and the IFAC Council Meeting, where CECCAR was present throughout its representative in the Group.
The Edinburgh Group Meeting and General Assembly focused on operational issues related to this group and on debates linked to the IFAC Constitutional review proposal.
During the IFAC Council meeting, reports from IFAC leadership and management were presented, together with the proposed strategic initiatives and budget parameters for 2014, a presentation on the IFAC Global Knowledge Gateway and reports of the regional bodies recognised by IFAC as well as with the proposal for the IFAC Constitutional Review and Bylaws.
In addition, the 2nd part of the meeting on November 13, hosted the IFAC Annual Seminar Strengthening the Links of the Financial Reporting Supply Chain that shed light on the importance of a strong financial reporting infrastructure in a growing economy and strong capital market, the drivers of quality audit and promoting quality in oversight and regulations.
Thirtieth session of the UNCTAD-ISAR and IFRS Foundation Workshop
5th of November 2013, Geneva – Suisse
CECCAR attended the UNCTAD-ISAR and IFRS Foundation Workshop on November 5, 2013 and the thirtieth session of the UNCTAD-ISAR hosted on November 6-8 in Geneva, Suisse.
The seminar works focused mainly on updates on international developments in the area of accounting for SMEs and on lessons learned from the implementation of the IFRS for SMEs, as well as on the IFRS for SMEs revising, together with the proposed changes to this standard.
The anniversary meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting (ISAR) debated topics such as contributions of accounting and corporate reporting to the development of sound policies, the role of policy-makers in implementing international corporate reporting standards and codes, progress over the last 30 years in promoting reliable and comparable corporate reporting, trends in financial and non-financial reporting, and prospects towards achieving a single set of high-quality corporate reporting standards, UNCTAD-ISAR Accounting Development Tool (ADT), the key foundations for high-quality corporate reporting and good practices in sustainability reporting.
The FCM and the Annual Conference
November 3-4 2013, Tirana, Albania
On 3-4 November 2013, CECCAR has attended the FCM Council meeting the FCM 12th Annual Conference hosted in Tirana by the Federation of Mediterranean Expert Accountants in cooperation with the Institute of Certified Accountants in Albania (IEKA).
Over the FCM Council Meeting debates focused on the recent progresses of the Federation and the works of its groups, on issues related to the management of FCM constituents, as well as on future events, amongst which the organisation of common conferences with the European Federation of SMEs Accountants and Auditors (EFAA).
The FCM Annual Conference had the topic “Today’s Audit profession requires an effective interaction and combination of Professional Standards, Ethics, Public Oversight and Quality Control” and focused on the role of the audit profession and on the mechanisms of oversight that can increase the level of audit quality and financial reporting.
Key-speakers included M. Samir Agoumi, FCM President, M. Andre Kilesse, FEE President, M. Arnold Schilder, Chair of IFAC’s IAASB and M. Henri Fortin, Chair of the Centre for the Financial Reporting Reform (CFRR) within the World Bank, as well as the representative of CECCAR in the IFAC SMPs Committee, who gave a presentation during the panel dedicated to SMEs audit.
CILEA Council and International Seminar
Octobre 25-26, 2013 – Aveiro, Portugal
On October 25-26, 2013, the Committee for Latin Integration Europe-America (CILEA) was the host of the Directory Council meeting that took place in Aveiro and of CILEA 28th International Seminar where CECCAR was represented as vice-president of the Council.
The 28th edition of the CILEA International Seminar was entitled “Accountancy as an information tool for SMEs” and was structured in 4 sessions, namely “Social role of accountancy”, “Professional training as a quality guarantee”, “Accountancy and undertakings” and “Creative accountancy: pros and cons”.
The IFAC SMPs Committee Meeting
October 14-15, 2013 – New York, SUA
CECCAR representative in the SMPs Committee of IFAC attended on October 14-15, 2013 the meeting of the SMPs Committee that took place in New York.
The meeting focused on the legal issues related to the planning of the committee’s activities for 2014, the committee’s contribution to the relevant standard-setting boards (IAASB and IESBA), the projects of developing implementation guidance for small and medium practices implementing international standards issues under the title of IFAC, as well as the committee’s position in what regards taxation systems.
Extraordinary Meeting of the General Assembly of ECGI
October 11, 2013 – Brussels, Belgium
The European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI) hosted on October 11, 2013, in Brussels, an extraordinary meeting of the General Assembly, where CECCAR was invited as member of the ECGI.
The objective of this meeting was the analysis of the amendments to the ECGI Articles of Association namely to introduce a new Member category, in the view of creating a new institution under the ECGI patronage, the European Corporate Governance Research Foundation (ECGRF).
FEE Members’ Assembly
October 9, 2013 – Brussels, Belgium
On October 9, 2013 CECCAR attended the FEE Members’ Assembly that took place in Brussels.
The agenda of the meeting covered matters such as: updates on FEE Governance matters, Elections to the FEE Board 2014 – 2015, FEE Working Parties Restructuring, updates on policy developments and FEE activities.
In addition, the Members’ Assembly discussed matters related to the activity of the IFAC International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) as well as issues related to FEE activities and the profession’s strategy in tax policy and public sector.
OEC Congress
October 2-4 – Dijon, France
CECCAR representatives attended the Congress of the Order of Expert Accountants of France that took place on October 2-4, 2013 on the topic Competence in the service of performance.
The debates were built around two plenary sessions that focused on the recent evolutions in the higher educational system in France and the relationship of this sector with professional environments, namely the capitalisation and the distribution of knowledge, in addition to 12 consecutive workshops debating diverse issues such as: the specialisation of professional practices, new markets for the profession, setting the levels of remuneration and organising activities within a practice, client counselling and incentives for joining the profession.
In addition, the Congress also hosted a series of micro-conferences organised by partner firms that shared their experience and knowledge cumulated in their professional practice.
Tax Day
October 2, 2013 – Brussels, Belgium
On October 2, 2012, The Federation of European Accountants (FEE) hosted in Brussels the 3rd edition of the Tax Day, a major event that reunited over 150 representatives of the business environment, policymakers, tax administrations, tax advisors and decision-makers in the whole of Europe. CECCAR took part in this event through its representative in the FEE Tax Working Party.
The theme Towards responsible taxation – The role of policymakers ‐ tax administrations ‐ tax advisors ‐ taxpayers, meant that this year edition focused on three main directions: policy-making, practice and future vision – that materialised into three discussion panels: Economic globalisation but national tax law ‐ a contradiction?, Cooperation and compliance in times of fiscal consolidation and Transforming ideas into actions: Next steps.
FIDEF Board and General Assembly
October 1-2, 2013 – Dijon, France
The International Federation of Francophone Accountants (FIDEF) gathered in Dijon on October 1-2, 2013 for the Board meeting and the General Assembly where CECCAR was present through its representative in the FIDEF Board.
Among the issues discussed during the Board meeting, it is worth mentioning the strategic plan for 2014-2018, the calendar of the activities for 2014, the procedure for electing the future president as well as future activities and events scheduled by FIDEF members.
The General Assembly agenda included discussion on the annual financial statements, the activity report, the proposed budget for 2014 and FIDEF ongoing projects concerning the translation of relevant papers into French, professional training and the partnership with the academic environment.
In addition, on October 2, the participants could take part in a workshop organised in cooperation with IFAC on the development of accounting professional bodies, the membership application to IFAC and the IFAC compliance program.
Regional conference hosted by the World Bank
October 1, 2013 – Vienna, Austria
On October 1, 2013 CECCAR was part of the Conference Financial reporting and audit at a crossroad – current landscape and new horizons for Europe, held in Vienna by the Centre for Financial reporting Reform (CFRR) within the World Bank.
The event focused on informing the attendants on the recent developments in financial reporting and audit on an international and EU level; presenting and launching a new regional program on strengthening audit and reporting in the countries of the eastern partnership (STAREP); and presenting the successful programs and the experience in implementing the financial reporting reform and in creating accounting and audit environments that comply with the communitarian acquis and international standards.
Along the above-mentioned central ideas debated over the three plenary sessions of the conference, there were two parallel sessions where the debates focused on the corporative financial reporting reform in Central, Eastern and South-eastern Europe, namely current and future directions related to IFRSs development.
The International Conference on Accounting and Audit Education
Chișinău, September 25-27, 2013
The Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova, in cooperation with the Centre for Financial Reporting Reform (CFRR) of the World Bank, organized on September 26, 2013, in Chișinău, an International Conference on “Through cooperation – towards the sustainable development of the accounting and audit profession: applying the international best practices for the modernization of university courses through cooperation and partnership with the European Union.
In the context of the global financial and economic crisis, this Conference, supported by the World Bank through its South-South program, comes as an answer to the need for improving university education in the areas of accounting and audit, using the international education standards as reference and highlighting the characteristics and advantages of the cooperation between the academia in the Republic of Moldova and in Romania, as an example of a cooperation and collaboration model.
Among the proposed objectives of the Conference we note: sharing and exchanging information regarding the implications of the updated International Education Standards, developing strategies for the improvement of financial reporting in the corporate and education sector in the areas of accounting and audit, promoting a better understanding of international recognition and accreditation systems.
CECCAR was represented in this conference by its elected president for the 2014-2016 term, Ms. Domnica Băghină, who made a presentation during session 2, Ways to improve the cooperation between the profession, universities and regulators –advantages and importance.
The Annual Conference of the Chamber of Hungarian Auditors
Balaton, September 19-20, 2013
During September 19-20, 2013, the Chamber of Hungarian Auditors organized the 21st Annual Audit Conference, this year focused on Audit and Confidence.
The conference comprised several simultaneous debate sessions in which the Hungarian professionals discussed important issues for the professions, among which current issues regarding fiscal policies, the judicial activity of auditors, audit in public administrations, EU reforms on auditing and logistic problems related to SME audit programs.
CECCAR was represented in these debates by its representatives from the managements of the Covasna and Harghita territorial branches.
IPSASB Meeting, Toronto, September 16-19, 2013
During September 16-19, IFAC’s International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB) met in Toronto, Canada, where board members had the opportunity to debate the most recent projects for the public sector, to report on the activities undertaken by the IPSASB and to discuss issues included in the IASB Work Plan.
The main issues on the agenda for the four days were the following: the report on activities/communications, an update on European public sector accounting standards, the first time adoption of accrual IPSAS, the review of IPSASs 6-8 , debates regarding the IPSAS Conceptual Framework – exposure drafts, preliminary responses and tracking table. There were also analysed exposure documents regarding social benefits and service performance information.
CECCAR actively participated in the meeting through its representative in IPSASB IFAC.
Federation of Mediterranean Accountants Council Meeting
Rome, September 16, 2013
On September 16, 2013, the ordinary meeting of the Federation of Mediterranean Accountants Council took place in Rome, Italy. The meeting’s agenda included, among other issues, the following points of debate: the approval of the June 17, 2013 meeting minutes, the report of the FCM Working Groups, a discussion on the new organization model, and issues regarding the 2013-2015 budget and the financial and judicial compliance of the Federation.
CECCAR was represented by its General Director, as Deputy President of the FCM.
Establishment of a bilateral agreement between CECCAR and ODCEC San Marino
September 11, 2013, Bucharest
On September 11, at the CECCAR headquarters in Bucharest, a bilateral cooperation agreement was signed between the accounting professions in Romania and San Marino.
By signing this agreement, the Body of Expert and Licensed Accountants of Romania and Ordine die Dottori Commercialisti e degli Esperti Contabili of the Republic of San Marino committed to the promotion and development of the accounting profession in Romania, the Republic of San Marino and worldwide, to facilitate experience and information exchanges between the two professions, and to the direct cooperation between de members of the two organizations.
Through the bilateral agreements it concludes, CECCAR also supports and promotes cross-border professional exchanges, transparency and communication between professionals, and consolidates its image and support in the relations with European and international professional institutions.
Meeting of the CILEA Consejo Directivo and CILEA International Seminar
August 26-27, 2013 – Bogota, Columbia
On August 26-27, 2013, The Comité de integración Latino Europa-América (CILEA) hosted in Bogota, the meeting of CILEA Consejo Directivo and the 27th International Seminar.
During the meeting of the Consejo Directivo, the organisation international projects were discussed, among which the comparative study Business Management in the Latin Countries, prepared under the patronage of CILEA with the significant contribution of CECCAR and of its technical specialist, Mrs Mădălina Gîrbină.
The 27th Edition of the CILEA International Seminar was structured in four sessions, namely ‘Application of IFRSs by SMEs in the Latin America and the Caribbean Region with its Effects on Economic Growth’, ‘Application of IFRSs by European SMEs with its Effects on Economic Growth’, ‘Transparency of SMEs IFRS Disclosures’ and ‘How American SMEs Separate Taxes When Applying IFRSs’. At the end of the seminar, the two international projects initiated by CILEA were presented to the public.
CECCAR representative, Mrs Mădălina Gîrbină, took the floor during the 3rd session with a presentation on ‘The Application of IFRSs in Romania’; she was also the one who introduced to the public the comparative study on Business Management in the Latin Countries, as closing session of the event.
FEE SMPs Forum
June 26, 2013, Brussels – Belgium
FEE hosted the second edition of the FEE SMPs Forum on June 26, in Brussels; CECCAR representative in the Working Party attended this event. SMPs Forum represents FEE Working Party that focuses on specific matters of importance to SMPs to share information and best practices and identify issues and projects on which FEE should consider undertaking specific work in line with its overall strategy.
This meeting debates have substantially focused on the two structures of the Forum, namely the Ambassadors Task Force and the Champions Network, analysing their projects but also the relevant developments on FEE, EU and IFAC level.
IPSASB Meeting
June 17-20, 2013, Toronto, Canada
On June 17-20, IFAC organized in Toronto the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB) Meeting, where CECCAR was represented by its IPSASB member.
The agenda of this meeting included IPSASB projects regarding the development of a conceptual framework, review of IPSASS 6–8 and the development of IPSAS and GFS reporting guidelines, but also debates on government business enterprises, reporting on the long-term sustainability of public finances, first time adoption of accrual IPSAS and reporting service performance.
FCM Council Meeting
June 17, 2013, Rome – Italy
The FCM Council Meeting took place in Rome on June 17, 2013. The meeting focused on the current FCM activities, on the Federation strategy and activity plan for 2013-2015, together with the preparation of several conferences and seminars on understanding and identifying solutions for current challenges for the Mediterranean profession.
FEE Sustainability Working Party Meeting
June 13, 2013, Brussels – Belgium
On June 13, 2013 FEE hosted the Sustainability Working Party Meeting that was also attended by CECCAR representative for this particular working party.
Some of the issues discussed during this meeting were the IIRC Integrated Reporting Framework; GRI’s Sustainability Reporting Guidelines; EC Proposal for a Directive amending Council Directives 78/660/EEC and 83/349/EEC as regards disclosure of non-financial and diversity information by certain large companies and groups as well as the most significant current and future sustainability / CSR initiatives by governments in the EU.
The Cross-Border Meeting
June 12-14, 2013, Warsaw – Poland
On June 12-14, 2013, the National Chamber of Statutory Auditors (KiBR) in Poland hosted the 7th edition of the Cross-Border Meeting that brought together specialists representing regional professional bodies (CECCAR Romania, MKVK Hungry, UFPAA Ukraine, ACAP Republic of Moldova, CAFR Romania and IPAR Russia), as well as internationally acknowledged institutions (IFAC and IBR-IRE Belgium).
CECCAR delegation was actively involved in the meetings debates through a presentation given during the session Practical aspects of the implementation of ISAs, one of the main themes of the event, along with Experiences in cooperation of professional bodies with public oversight bodies and the assessment of the oversight impact on the quality of financial reporting and Position and role of professional accountancy bodies in a changing environment.
The Cross-Border Meeting is an event initiated seven years ago by CECCAR that has already become a landmark for the regional and international accountancy profession; its main objectives are promoting the cooperation between regional institutes, common support for building and developing the profession and identifying and solving issues currently met by accounting professionals in the region.
IFAC Small and Medium Practices Forum and the IFAC SMPs Committee Meeting
June 5-7, 2013, Kampala – Uganda
On June 5, 2013, Kampala, Uganda, was the site of the 7th Annual IFAC SMPs Forum that reunited over 175 delegations representing professional institutions in 30 countries, among which CECCAR representative in the IFAC SMPs Committee. The Forum was co-hosted by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda (ICPAU), and the Pan African Federation of Accountants (PAFA), and was sponsored by ACCA (United Kingdom), CECCAR (Romania), HKICPA (Hong Kong) and ICAEW (United Kingdom).
The forum brought together representatives of the regulatory community, regional and national accountancy organizations, standard setters, and thought leaders and experts in their fields to collaborate on solutions to the challenges and pressures facing SMPs, both regionally and globally. This year’s event focused on trends that may impact the growth of small business and the way SMPs deliver their services.
The Forum was followed by the SMPs Committee meeting on June 6-7, that discussed issues related to SMPs Committee strategic and action plan, its contribution to the IESBA and IAASB activity, the development of implementation guidance, public policies as well as the regulations and the support of the SMPs activity.
OECD Annual Forum
May 28-29, 2013 – Paris, France
On May 28-29, 2013 the OECD Forum took place in Paris, an event where CECCAR was represented at its highest level. OECD Forum is a traditional event that takes place each year in May, reuniting leaders of all civil life sectors in order to debate on essential economic and social challenges in the current context.
Relying on the 2012 Forum conclusions and being marked by the 6th year of economic, financial and social downturn, OECD 2013 Forum tackled three main issues – promoting inclusive growth and solving discrimination, regaining confidence (both in the public and private sector, both on a political and economic level) and promoting sustainable growth.
Established as a major international event, this year’s Forum has reunited state and government leaders, Nobel Prize recipients, leaders of some of the most important companies and international organizations, as well as forefront representatives of the academic and the mass-media environment.
FIDEF Board Meeting
May, 23-24 2013 – Rabat, Morocco
On May 23, 2013, the International Federation of Francophone Expert Accountants held its Board Meeting in cooperation with the Expert Accountants Order in Morocco. CECCAR was represented by its FIDEF Board Representative.
During the Board Meeting, FIDEF members discussed issues related to the current activities (such as translation and formation projects), FIDEF website and newsletter, FIDEF strategic plan for 2014-2018, the relationship with other international organisations, as well as issues related to the next FIDEF meeting organisation and themes.
Workshop on „Public Sector Management and the IPSAS”
May 16-17, 2013 – Salerno, Italy
On May 16-17, 2013, CECCAR attended through its representative with the IFAC IPSASB Council, the Workshop on Public Sector Management and the IPSAS hosted by the European Group for Public Administration (EGPA) and the University of Salerno.
The workshop gathered both members of IPSASB, such as the IPSASB Chair, Mr Andreas Bergmann, and representatives of academia and the public sector, of accounting and audit firms and of other organisations, such as EFRAG.
Some of the issues discussed were the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), public accountancy reform in Italy, different countries’ experiences in implementing IPSASs, the harmonization of public sector accountancy and the transition to accrual accountancy.
CECCAR representative with IPSASB submitted a presentation during this workshop, namely on „Implementing IPSASs in Romania, Between Internal Will and External Requirements”, within the session that dealt with different countries’ experiences in implementing the IPSASs.
The Members’ Assembly, FEE
26-27 March 2013, Dublin, Ireland
The Members’ Assembly of the European Federation of Accountants (FEE), organised by FEE was held in Dublin, Ireland, the 26-27 March 2013, where CECCAR was highly represented.
The event agenda enclosed debates on the following subjects: the FEE strategic review, the FEE strategy concerning the corporative reporting, the official governing of Members’ Assembly, the FEE audit policy and strategy, the auditor’s role and nomination, the audit and the future of assurance, accounting and reporting etc.
The Members’ Assembly has also brought in discussions news about FEE policy and activity through series of informative aspects and about the Council constituency but also an intermediate report concerning the applications for the member quality and discussions about the quality of correspondent member.
The event gathered personalities from the domain such as: Patrick Houlihan, the Irish president of the Council working party for corporative legislation, Myles Thompson, the vice-president and president of FEE Audit Working party or Martyn Jones, the deputy president of ICAEW. The key messages and the meeting closure were delivered by André Kilesse, FEE President.
IPSASB Meeting, IFAC
11-14 March 2013, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
The meeting of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB) was held the 11-14 of March 2013 at Abu Dhabi, The United Arab Emirates, event to which CECCAR participated through his representative.
The meeting had the following debate themes: the working plan and the IPSASB strategies for 2013-2014, the conceptual framework presentation and analysis, the long term sustainability reporting of public finances, public sector combinations or the IPSAS review (IPSAS 6-8).
This event constituted a great opportunity to analyze and discuss the following subjects such as: the state enterprises, the financial statements as well as the criteria of standard setting.
Once with this meeting of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB) the improvements to IFRS were also analyzed and reviewed.
The FEE SMP Forum – Kick-off Meeting
February 20, 2013 – Brussels, Belgium
The Kick-off Meeting of the FEE SMPs Forum took place on February 20, 2013 and was attended by CECCAR representative, Mr. Florin Toma.
Among the topics discussed during this event, we can mention: FEE operations and global strategy, the SMP Champions Network/Ambassadors Task Force, means to identify matters and projects of relevance to SMPs for FEE to concentrate on.
This event focussed on providing and promoting the SMP perspective in FEE projects and it put forward the SMPs agenda and the innovation process, in order to serve this key-element. The aim of this new structure is to highlight the critical difference between the assumed role and the value added by FEE to its Member Bodies and to the SMP practitioners.
The IFAC SMP Committee Meeting
February 18-19, 2013 – New York, USA
CECCAR was represented to the IFAC Small and Medium Practices Committee Meeting that was organized on February 16-19, 2013 by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) in New York, United States.
This event focussed on the importance of developing and involving SMPs in standard-setting debates and global public policies, on their specific recommendations and working instruments, as well as on their needs, highlighting SMPs value and role.
The SMPs Committee Meeting was an opportunity to discuss, at a global level, opportunities and challenges met by SMPs as well as by their clients.
The FEE Direct and Indirect Tax Working Party Meeting
February 13-14, 2013 – Brussels, Belgium
CECCAR attended through its representative the FEE Direct and Indirect Tax Working Party Meeting that took place in Brussels, Belgium, on February 13-14, 2013.
The agenda of the event covered debates on: strategic priorities for 2013-2014, fraud and money laundering, green tax, public sector VAT, proposals on financial transactions taxes, cross-border taxes, as well as determining transfer prices, etc.
This meeting represented an opportunity to debate, on a global level, significant issues on taxation as well as to analyse and reflect upon the European Commission proposals and recommendations.
The Academy of Accounting and Financial Sciences and Techniques Conference “New Frontiers for Enterprises”
February 12, 2013Paris, France
The Academy of Accounting and Financial Sciences and Techniques Conference “New Frontiers for Enterprises” took place on February 12, 2013 in Paris – France, and it was attended by CECCAR through its representative.
The theme of this event was The New Frontiers for Enterprises and it represented a good opportunity for an exchange on the enterprises current situation and for testimonies from large companies.
The Conference was open by Mr. William Nahum and moderated by Mr. Pascale Besses-Boumard, chief-editor with „La Tribune” review. Among the significant representatives taking the floor we must mention: Jack Boileau, who has just completed his mission in Silicon Valley, Philippe Le Gorgeu, Henry Peyret, analysts and Jean François Phelizon, Saint Gobain General Director.
CNCC Annual Conference
December 6-7, 2012, Montpellier, France
The 25th Annual Conference of Auditors in France took place on December 6-7, 2012, in Montpellier, France, CECCAR being represented at this event by its key-management representatives.
On the occasion of this event, professionals debated issues such as: the role of actuaries in performing audit missions, informational and intervention systems of network engineers, the development of SMEs audit missions: from simplification to prospective measures; discussions focused on legal, standard-setting and accounting issues, as well as on the expectations of French society and of territorial communities regarding financial transparency.
Among key-personalities present at this event we should mention: Mr. Claude Cazes – CNCC President, Christine Thin – H3C President, Etienne Bernard – President of the SMEs Commission within MEDEF and Ms. Agnes Bricard – CSOEC President.
This event once again underlined the commitment of the National Company of Auditors in France towards consolidating and developing an original, adapted, efficient, independent and decentralised model for the accounts legal audit.
IPSASB MEETING
December 3–6, 2012, New York, SUA
CECCAR was represented at the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB) held by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) in New York, SUA on December 3-6, 2012.
The agenda of the event included debates on: reporting on the long-term sustainability of public finances, integrated reporting, conceptual framework, oversight and governance, representative activities, service performance reporting, consultation on work program 2013-2014 or first-time adoption of accrual IPSASs.
This IFAC meeting was a good opportunity to globally debate current opportunities and challenges in the field of reporting, international standards and public finances.
FCM Council and Annual Conference
December 2-3, 2012, Nicosia, Cyprus
The Council and the 11th National Conference of the Federation of Mediterranean Accountants (FCM) took place on December 2-3, 2012 in Nicosia, Cyprus where CECCAR was represented at the highest level.
FCM Annual Conference theme was „The Importance of Regional Regulation”, the debates focusing on the process of managing regional and global risks, risks which have been at the forefront of the current financial crisis, as well as regulatory regionalism which has become so evident in a number of initiatives across the world.
Also, taking advantage of its coincidence with the Cypriot EU Presidency, the FCM conference aims to stimulate reflection on how the complex and sophisticated governance mechanisms of the European Union can help its neighbour countries to achieve regional convergence and facilitate market integration and development.
The agenda of the event covered the following issues: Regulation, Convergence and the Accounting Profession, the Impact of the Crisis on the Role & Responsibilities of Auditors or Integrated Financial Reporting.
The Ordinary Meeting of the Council of the International Federation of Accountants, IFAC
the 14-15th of November 2012, Cape Town, South Africa
CECCAR has participated through his representative at the Ordinary Meeting of the Council of the International Federation of Accountants organised by IFAC at Cape Town, South Africa between the 14-15th of November 2012.
The event agenda has comprised debates on the following themes: implementation and strategic plan, public policy and regulation, quality promotion, government and operations, the operational plan proposed for 2013 as well as the strategic planning proposed for 2013-2016.
The Ordinary Meeting of the Council of the International Federation of the Accountants has been an opportunity at global level to debate the current opportunities and challenges that SMPs and SMEs need to face.
The Meeting of the FCM Council
the 7th of November 2012, Rome, Italy
The Meeting of the FCM (The Federation of the Mediterranean Accountants) Council took place on the 7th of November 2012 at Rome, in Italy, at which CECCAR has been represented at a high level.
The FCM Council debated important matters for the future of the organisation and remarkably for the future of the Mediterranean professional accountants.
Among the subjects debated in the event we have: the importance of accountancy, obtaining finances for FCM, access at financing and financial information, continuous education and professional development, fiscal reporting, quality and oversight assurance as well as PAO government and guidelines for government.
The 29th session ISAR-UNCTAD and Accounting Education Forum ISAR-UNCTAD
31st October – 1st November 2012, Geneve, Switzerland
CECCAR was represented by the Executive at the 29th session ISAR-UNCTAD and at the Accounting Education Forum which took place in the period of the 31st of October – the 1st of November 2012 atGeneve,Switzerland.
This event was a great opportunity for debating the following fundamental themes: recent development of institutional aspects and regulation for high quality corporate governance, normative systems and proper institutional engagements for the correct implementation of global standards and codes, news from sustainable development domaine or good practices in presenting information about corporate governance.
On this occasion, major personalities from important international organizations such as: IFAC, IOSCO, DIAE, IFRS Foundation, RNIRA etc. were united.
The National Congress, CNDCEC
25-27th October 2012, Bari, Italy
Between the 25-27th of October 2012, CECCAR was represented by the Executive at the third National Congress of theInstituteofAuditorsand Expert Accountants (CNDCEC) atBari,Italy.
The theme of this event was the following: „How we prepare for tomorrow: growth, development, Europe.”
The event agenda included debates on the following subjects: passing from market competition to professional regulation, liberalisation – fundamental value, fight against tax evasion, professional and financial competence, ethics and business – a marriage of convenience, environment and social reporting, the compliance of state rules, company rules and related systems with EU legislation.
This Congress brought together famous personalities from the domain and from public life such as: the President of Local Office of Bari, CNDCEC President or the representatives of public authorities.
The 13th Annual Conference and 20 years of KIBR activity
24-26th October 2012, Jachranka and Warsaw, Poland
The National Chamber of Statutory Auditors from Polandorganised between the 24-26th of October 2012 the 13th Annual Conference and celebrated 20 years of existence, in Jachranka, where CECCAR was represented by the Interim President.
The 13th Annual Conference has the following theme: „Status and perspectives of audit”, covering the most important audit profession issues.
The main subjects debated in this Conference were: normative issues of public and audit oversight from international perspective, audit evolution and objective, audit methodology, ethical aspects of audit firm activities or the direction of audit evolution.
The Meeting of the SMPs Committee, IFAC
22-23th October 2012, New York, USA
CECCAR participated through his representative at the Meeting of the SMPs Committee organised by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) in New York, USA, between the 22-23th of October.
The main subjects of the event agenda were: the working plan for 2013-2016, debates on IFRS for SMEs, public policy and regulation, update of quality audit framework, IESBA working plan, SMEs support and links with the other IFAC Committees.
The meeting of the SMPs Committee constituted an opportunity for debates at global level about the opportunities and challenges that SMPs and their clients confront with.
FIDEF Management Council and OEC Congress
3-5th October 2012, Paris, France
The meeting of the Management Council of the International Federation of Francophone Accountants (FIDEF) and the OEC Congress took place between the 3-5th of October 2012, events at which CECCAR was represented at high level.
The Management Council and the General Assembly decided on this occasion to award post mortum the status of Emeritus Trustee of FIDEF to Marin Toma,Prof. Univ. Dr. and former President of CECCAR, for his huge supply and intensive activity in a multicultural state and world, assisting also to the achievement of FIDEF objectives.
As a sign of great respect and friendship that Mr. Toma enjoyed within FIDEF, on the occasion of the General Assembly meeting, the participants observed a moment of silence.
The FIDEF Council and General Assembly debated important matters for the future of the organisation and exclusively for the future of francophone expert accountants and also for the cooperation between the Federation and the other professional bodies such as IFAC, OIF, or IASB.
In this event, the President in office, Mr. Michel De Wolf offered the term to his successor Mr. Siaka Traore,Burkina Fasoand the terms of half of Management Council’s members were renewed, context in which CECCAR gained a new term for the period of 2012-2016.
The Congress of the Order of Expert Accountants of France, that annually brings together an impressing number of participants, which attained this year the number of 6000, included debates on the following themes: integration of professionals from enterprises in Institutes and Orders, Account Project presentations, contributions for 2012, works of FIDEF representatives in diverse organisations or the evolution stage of different FIDEF projects.
Among the subjects analysed within the event, there are: the management and performance of small and medium practices, innovative movement towards the development of expert accountant engagement to assurance, the expert accountant as an entrepreneur, the association of expert accountants without borders, innovative practices or the marketing of SMPs.
The 16th Annual Congress of the Accountants and Auditors Association from the Republic of Srpska
27-29th of September, Banja Vrucica, Bosnia Herţegovina
Between 27-29th of September CECCAR participated through its representatives at the Annual Congress of the Accountants and Auditors Association from the Republic of Srpska at Banja Vrucica, Bosnia Herţegovina.
The theme of this event was „The importance of accounting, audit and finances in the process of overcoming the economic crisis”.
The main subjects of the event agenda were the following: the place and the role of the accounting management systems in the process of decision-making, finance management in the crisis periods of economic entities as well as the functions of external and internal audit in detecting frauds, illicit activities and corruption at the level of economic entities.
IPSASB Meeting, IFAC
17-20th September 2012, Norwalk, SUA
Between the 17-20th of September the IPSASB Meeting of the International Federation of the Accountants took place atNorwalk, SUA, where CECCAR participated through his representative, member of this Committee.
Among the themes treated during the meeting we can mention: reporting long-term sustainability of public finances, conceptual framework assessment as well as the analysis and debate of the financial statements.
This event constituted a special opportunity for analysing and debating the updating process of International Accounting Standards for the Public Sector (IPSAS 6-8), for reporting long-term sustainability and for reporting the services performance.
SMPs Forum and the Congress of the Accounting Profession of Romania
7-8th September 2012, Sinaia, Romania
CECCAR organized on the 7-8th September 2012 the SMPs Forum and the 19th edition of the Congress of the Accountancy Profession of Romania in Sinaia with the following theme: „Corporate governance and the accountancy profession: proficiency and responsibilities”.
The third edition of the SMPs Forum 2012 named „Current challenges and future opportunities for the SMPs” included debates with the following themes: SMPs evolution for better serving SMEs, the way of facing challenges by SMPs or the method of using the future opportunities.
The Congress of the Accounting Profession of Romania has united personalities of diverse domains and also representatives of international bodies such as: ACCA, ICAEW, IFAC, FCM or FIDEF.
The agenda of the event included debates on the following subjects: conceptual and regulatory illustrations concerning the culture of the corporative governance, the corporative governance – perception and development, models of corporative governance: the competences and the responsibilities of the corporative governance, as well as the common content in educational and accountancy formation.
ACAP Cross-border Meeting 2012,
20-23 June, Kishinev, Republic of Moldavia
CECCAR governance participated on 20-23 June 2012 to the 6th edition of the Cross-border Meeting, organized by the Association of Professional Auditors and Accountants from Republic of Moldavia (ACAP) in Kishinev, Republic of Moldavia, with the following theme: „Role and responsibility of the professional bodies in the regulation of the accounting profession”.
The scope of this international event was related to the improvement of the accounting profession and to the specification of the importance of professional bodies’ role.
The main themes from the agenda of the event were: the new exigencies generated by the global financial crisis and the responsibilities of the professional bodies in the national, regional, European last but not least, global context.
Governors and representatives of the regulation and administration bodies were invited, as well as the local and central public administration: Ministry of Finance, Fiscal Inspectorate, National Bank of Moldavia, and also national and international profile organizations and representatives of audit and consulting firms.
FEE Council Meeting,
20-21 June, Brussels, Belgium
The Council Meeting of the European Federation of the Accountants (FEE) took place on 20-21 June in Brussels, Belgium, at which CECCAR was represented.
The agenda of the event included the following themes: the evolution of the FEE governance, the audit directives and regulations proposed, financial reporting, General Assembly Agenda for 2012 and the budget and financial statements.
The main events analyzed in this meeting were: „Uniting Forces towards a more efficient Anti-Money Laundering Fight”, (Fight against Anti-Money Laundering Round Table), debate about Integrated Reporting, hosted by the European Parliament on 30 May 2012, and the discussion about Financial Reporting, named „Towards a better information inside financial reporting”, which will be held in September 2012.
IAAER Conference
19-21 June, Amsterdam, Holland
CECCAR took part on 19-21 June at the Conference organized by IAAER, in collaboration with Holland NBA and UV University, in Amsterdam, Holland.
The theme of the Conference was “Change management: improving audit and corporative reporting to fulfil the new requirements”, and united communities from the accounting domain – academicians, decision-making factors, politicians, professionals and institutions – for opinion exchange, in a collective and public environment.
The event agenda included debates on the following themes: accounting estimates and savings management, general framework IFRS-based teaching, global development in accounting education, integrated reporting and audit quality.
Ministerial REPARIS Conference and PAO Forum,
30 May-2 June 2012, Vienna, Austria
On 30 May – 2 June 2012, World Bank and IFAC organized the Ministerial REPARIS Conference and the PAO Forum.
The Conference theme was „Consolidation of competitiveness and financial stability on the way to Europe: current progress and further opportunities”.
The Ministerial Conference included debates about: fulfilling Europe needs towards the renewal of competitiveness, the need for a new UE financial reporting and audit framework, progress and priorities in the financial reporting reform.
The Regional Forum for the Accounting Professional Organizations (PAO) had the following central theme: “The role of the accounting profession in supporting competitiveness and financial stability” and also other matters debated, such as: supporting the development and the implementation of the corporative financial reporting, the audit quality and the quality of the financial statements from countries of Central Europe and South-Eastern Europe.
FIDEF Conference and Administration Council,
25-27 May 2012, Bucharest, Romania
The 14th Edition of the Conference and Annual Council was organized on 25-27 May 2012 by The International Federation of Expert Francophone Accountants in Bucharest, in collaboration with local member bodies, CECCAR and The Chamber of Financial Auditors from Romania (CAFR), and debated: “Cooperation between the academic environment and the professional bodies for the consolidation of initial and continuous formation in accounting, audit and taxation domains”.
The event agenda enclosed the following subjects: preparing independent studies in the professional environment, cooperation in regulation process, initial and continuous formation, collaboration and initialization of new methods of cooperation, engaging in new projects.
Representatives of FIDEF, IFAC, FEE and other international institutes and bodies, as well as experts from the domain from the Romanian academic environment were the invited speakers.
The Annual OECD Forum,
22-23 May 2012, Paris, France
The executive governance of CECCAR participated on 22-23 May 2012 at the Annual Forum organized by the Organization for Development and Economic Cooperation (OECD) in Paris, France.
On the occasion of this event, the key stakeholders debate a new type of politics and search new approaches for the social and economic challenges.
The Forum has focused on the idea of passing from indignation and inequality to that of inclusion and integrity, aiming to bring powerful solutions so as to materialize this transfer.
The ECGI General Assembly and Annual Lecture
April 27, 2012, Stockholm, Sweden
The CECCAR Executive attended, on the 27th of April 2012, the annual General Assembly hosted by the European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI), which took place in Stockholm, Sweden.
The financial crises generated a great deal of political requirements concerning governance and regulation. These two have the role to enhance the control of interested parties and of regulation entities over the financial institutions and markets. Both sets of policies not only contain deficiencies, but they might even affect in a negative way the issues they should solve. Meanwhile, errors at the foundation of financial systems remain, as they did three years ago, unsolved and a potential source for new crises.
The FCM General Assembly and Council Meeting,
April 23, 2012, Rome, Italy
On the 23 of April 2012, the Federation of Mediterranean Expert (FCM) hosted the General Assembly and the Council Meeting, event where CECCAR was represented by its President.
These meetings tackled the FCM strategic and action plan for the next two years, the auditor’s report and the 2011 Financial Statement as well as the Federation Governing Manual Draft.
FEE Anti-Money Laundering Round Table Joining Forces to Better Fight Money Laundering
April 18, 2012, Brussels
CECCAR was represented at the FEE Anti-Money Laundering Round Table in Brussels on Joining Forces to Better Fight Money Laundering.
The aim of this event was to create a dialogue between the professions that must observe the anti-money laundering requirements, the national administrations, the standard regulators and the not-for-profit organizations.
Among the main topics discussed we should mention: designing a practicable legal framework, solving horizontal issues and conflicts of law as well as enhancing international cooperation.
ACAP RM Seminar
April 4, 2012, Chişinău, Republic of Moldova
On April 5, 2012 the Association of Professional Accountants and Auditors of Republic of Moldova (ACAP RM) organized the International Scientific Conference on „Accounting: present challenges and hopes for the future aspirations”, where CECCAR was represented by its General Director and its CECCAR representative in the IFAC IPSASB Committee, who took the floor for a presentation on public interest.
The agenda of the event included debates on the following topics: experience and accountancy issues in the Republic of Moldova, understanding IFRSs, audit services quality oversight.