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Professional Accountancy Education Europe

PAEE

Professional Accountancy Education Europe (previously The Common Content Project) is a collaboration between premier accountancy bodies with an aim to further develop, maintain and unify high quality professional accountancy education benchmarks reflected in the distinct qualifications of participating bodies and recognised internationally as meeting the challenges posed by globalisation and the needs of diverse stakeholders

Lobbying Activity

Response to Communication on maximising the potential of talent mobility as part of the European Year of Skills

12 Oct 2023

Professional Accountancy Education Europe (PAEE) welcomes the opportunity to provide comment and evidence for the European Commissions proposed initiatives to maximise talent mobility and deliver on the recognition of third country qualifications. Our member bodies, pulled from the leading professional accounting and audit bodies and chambers in Europe, have noted the continuing shortage of appropriately qualified individuals to work in accountancy and particularly within statutory audit roles across the continent. The PAEE members have each heard from their own membership about the difficulties either in securing appropriately skilled individuals, or in securing the recognition to be able to work in the EU. These difficulties have been linked to the overly complex processes for recognising qualifications gained in third countries for both the employers and the individuals seeking work leading to a lack of clarity on exactly what is needed to become recognised or a lack of motivation to make an application. The recommendation on the recognition of qualifications, that will simplify and accelerate the recognition processes for third country nationals and suggest that individual countries seek to align their recognition processes with those set out in Directive 2025/36/EC will remove some significant hurdles facing those making an application for recognition in the EU and will increase transparency on local requirements. The Skills First approach is of particular interest to the PAEE. We have recently completed work on the review and update of a comprehensive skills framework covering both technical and soft skills that are considered essential for entry level accountants and auditors. All PAEE full member bodies are mapped and reviewed against the requirements in this framework and can therefore claim equivalence between their qualifications. PAEE will continue to update the framework as the accountancy and audit profession develops and skills and knowledge requirements change. Further information is available at https://pa2e.eu and we would welcome the opportunity to share the framework with those who may find it of interest in demonstrating educational equivalence.
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