Key documents
Technical developments
Below you’ll find links to documents related to the preparation of the EPSAS framework.
Screening reports on IPSAS
Issue papers
Analyses
This report, contracted by Eurostat, provides an update to the accounting maturity scores of governments within the EU and associated estimations of EPSAS implementation costs. They had been initially compiled in a study and published in 2014.
In relation to COVID-19, Eurostat commissioned a paper that examines the link between public accounting and the wide range of important response measures put in place by many EU members.
The following reports provide some key analyses developed during the EPSAS preparatory work. They particularly address the suitability of IPSAS as a reference for EPSAS, the likely costs and benefits of EPSAS, and other issues related to EPSAS's future implementation and impact.
Eurostat commissioned two papers to provide support for the development of harmonised European public sector accounting standards. The first paper addresses lessons learned from experiences with implementing accruals in EU countries, tackling the skills and training issues and how the EPSAS can support financial audit and control in the Member States in the EU context. The second paper proposes a methodology for the measurement and monitoring of the main aspects of the transparency of public sector financial reporting in the Member States.
For more information, please consult the following documents:
Eurostat contracted out the collection of further and updated information related to the potential impact of implementing accrual accounting in the public sector in order to take the impact considerations forward.
For more information, please consult the document on collection of additional and updated information related to the potential impacts of EPSAS.
The EPSAS project aims to create and implement harmonised public sector accounting standards among the EU members. It is therefore necessary to assess and duly consider the economic and social impacts of the proposed reform for the project to move forward.
In 2013, Eurostat commissioned a study to analyse the potential costs and benefits of implementing harmonised accrual accounting among EU members, using IPSAS as a proxy for future EPSAS. This was done in order to inform such EPSAS considerations. The study further analyses the existing set of IPSAS standards and their application in EU countries from a technical point of view.
For more information, please consult the report on the collection of information related to the potential impact of implementing accrual accounting in the public sector and technical analysis of the suitability of individual IPSAS standards.
While acknowledging the contractor's effort to ensure the highest possible quality of the report, it is important to keep in mind the limits inherent in the analysis and extrapolation of costs data when interpreting the results.
In order to support the assessment on the suitability of IPSAS for the EU members, a survey was carried out of the public sector accounting and auditing practices in the EU member countries.
For more information, please consult the overview and comparison of public accounting and auditing practices in the 27 EU countries.