Abschlussprüfer, Unabhängigkeit und Netzwerke

The cooperation of accountants through networks raises numerous questions about their independence as auditors. This work is the first to deal comprehensively with these practically important issues on the basis of the European Audit Directive and its implementation in Germany and Austria.
It makes a significant contribution to the clarification of the complex definition of the term “network” in Article 2 (7) of the Audit Directive. Its profound interpretation considers the European methodology and refers to different language versions of the Directive. It focuses on the Directive’s implementation in Germany and Austria in § 319b HGB and § 271b UGB: With constant reference to the European provision, this work interprets the differently worded definitions and describes the conditions and legal consequences of the grounds for exclusion of an auditor who belongs to a network.