11 December 2012 (09:00 - 17:00)
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At the occasion of its 25th anniversary, FEE was grateful to the leaders who have paid tribute to its work and supported its efforts to stand for trust and integrity.
Algirdas Semeta, EU Commissioner, Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud, declared that tax policy is back on the EU agenda. He thanked FEE for stimulating the tax policy debate and contributing substantial input.
“When I took over from Göran Tidström as Chairman of the EFRAG Supervisory Board, I soon realised the importance of FEE in the existence and success of EFRAG. FEE not only played an important role as a major Founding Father of EFRAG in the late nineties, several of its Presidents have served on the EFRAG Supervisory Board to date: Göran Tidström, the driving force in establishing EFRAG, David Devlin, Jacques Potdevin and Hans van Damme. I trust that my successor will continue to be able to benefit from the full support of FEE for EFRAG’s activities in the future”.
Pedro Solbes, EFRAG Supervisory Board Chairman
“Accountants and auditors are irritating people! They always want details, transparency and good governance. But perhaps this is precisely what Europe needs, so keep up the good work the next 20 years!”
Hans Martens, Chief Executive, European Policy Centre
“On behalf of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), its Board and its 173 members and associates in 129 jurisdictions, I would like to congratulate the Federation of European Accountants/Fédération des Experts-comptables Européens (FEE) on your 25th Anniversary.
I commend FEE and all FEE members for your work in the region, your contributions to the accounting profession, and your continued work in the public interest.”
Ian Ball, CEO of IFAC
“It is fitting that we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the FEE in the same year as we celebrate 20 years of the Internal Market. There can be no doubt about the important contribution of the FEE to tax policy discussions and tax policy formulation in the Internal Market, in both the direct and indirect tax fields.”
Heinz Zourek, Director General, DG Taxation and Customs Union, European Commission
“My connection with FEE has been a long one with many interactions over the last 25 years and my years of service provided a solid base for the work at the global level. From the IFAC perspective, FEE plays a major role. Not only does it provide a pan-European perspective but offers guidance and leadership to other IFAC regional organizations. We are delighted that FEE is such a strong supporter of the adoption of international standards while thinking through the implications of these standards for the SMP community. Recently, we have been pleased to work with FEE on the adoption of IPSAS in Europe. I am sure this will be a key issue in the years to come for the professions contribution to economic growth and finacial stability.”
Göran Tidström, IFAC president 2010-2012, FEE president 2000-2002
“On behalf of the Confédération Fiscale Européenne (CFE) I congratulate FEE on its 25th anniversary and am delighted to be able to contribute to the celebrations. As President of the CFE,representing the tax adviser profession all over Europe, we are facing to some extent similar challenges as FEE especially over regulatory change and exchange of confidential information cross borders. Therefore a substantial collaboration with coexisting international organizations to us seem vital and during my Presidency such a fruitful exchange of information with FEE has been established.
My turn as President will terminate soon, but under Jirí Nekovár, the new President Elect, the CFE looks forward to continuing its close cooperation with such a recognized and respected interlocutor as FEE.”
Stephen Coleclough, President of the Confédération Fiscale Européenne (CFE)
“The world has changed and so must corporate reporting. Financial reporting is essential and must continue and be assured according to well-known standards. But a company does not operate in a financial bubble. It operates in the triple context of a financial milieu, the environment and society. It is well-known that reporting influences behaviour. An integrated report, which will show in clear and concise language how the company will sustain value creation and enable the user to make an informed assessment in this regard, is necessary in the changed and turbulent world of the 21st century.
In this regard, the accountancy profession has a critical role. The accountant is the professional person to whom the business person first turns to for advice. The accountancy profession in advising companies to adopt integrated reporting will make a major contribution to making life on earth sustainable for those who come after us.
It is therefore absolutely essential that the critical advisory role of accountants and their auditing roles are never separated. The advisory role results in a more qualitative audit and auditing is a discipline for the advisory role.”
Professor Mervyn King, Chairman, The International Integrated Reporting Committee (IIRC)
“For 25 years, FEE has provided strong leadership to the European accounting profession. At a time when the profession faces challenges on many fronts, such leadership is more important than ever. On behalf of the IASB, I thank the leadership of FEE for their continued support and constructive engagement as we seek to establish IFRS as the global language for financial reporting.”
Hans Hoogervorst, Chairman, International Accounting Standards Board
“I congratulate the Federation of European Accountants on their 25th anniversary. FEE’s expertise, its pan-European network and its large membership have provided EU institutions with an authoritative and valued voice in the field of accounting. The European Parliament believes that a transparent, competitive and independent accounting sector can bring added value to European companies and citizens. By reducing the administrative workload on small businesses and by emphasising sustainability of business we share a joint commitment to strengthen our Internal Market.”
Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament
“I have seen a remarkable change in attitudes within FEE over how sustainability matters affect the accounting profession. FEE now leads in terms of integrating sustainability into better reporting and decision making. FEE has a significant role to play within the European profession and in Brussels, it plays that hand with precision and with enviable deftness. Many congratulations for another 25 years helping our profession in Europe.”
Paul Druckman, CEO, International Integrated Reporting Council
“Throughout its 25 years of existence, FEE has embodied thought leadership in corporate and financial reporting, harnessing skills and means to best contribute to public interest. FEE’s involvement in and support to the EU IFRS policy, notably in the creation and development of EFRAG, remain today as invaluable as they were in the early days of EU IFRS adoption.”
Françoise Flores, EFRAG Chairman
“Mindful of the importance of SMEs for Europe I set up the SME Finance Forum to explore new strategies to facilitate access to finance for SMEs and I was pleased to see that FEE had elected the same strategic priority. It is important that we all join forces to boost the EU economy and help our millions of SMEs create the growth and jobs that Europe needs. Professional accountants have an instrumental role to play in this respect and thanks to FEE leadership they live up to the challenge. I look forward to the continued contribution of FEE and of the profession to the European public interest over the next 25 years.”
Antonio Tajani, Vice-President of the European Commission
“It is difficult to overestimate the contribution of the FEE to the tax debate in Europe, whether in the area of direct taxes or on VAT. FEE has enabled the voice of practitioners to be heard and has acted as a bridge between government and business, helping to ensure that tax proposals can be implemented with a minimum of compliance costs.”
Jeffrey Owens, former Director, OECD Centre for Tax Policy and Administration
“The FEE plays an important role in representing the views of the accounting profession. As the European single market develops and reforms are introduced to reflect the lessons learned from the financial and economic crisis, that role grows in significance. Happy 25th birthday!”
Jonathan Faull, Director-General, DG Internal Market and Services, European Commission
