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The global body for professional accountants

EU update - March 2026

Welcome to our Brussels update, highlighting key developments for the ACCA community. Stay informed on policy shifts that strengthen our engagement, build connections, and boost ACCA’s impact in the EU and across Europe.

About ACCA Public Affairs Europe

ACCA has over 80,000 members and students across the EU and Europe region. Our Europe public affairs engagement is led by our Brussels-based team working closely with our Europe market teams based in the Czech Republic, Ireland, Poland, Romania and Ukraine. 

This collaborative team approach to public affairs ensures that our members and communities are served both at the centre and local levels for a ‘One Europe’ solution.

Our public affairs engagement

We work with national and EU policymakers to monitor and influence policies affecting our members and the profession. This includes submitting position papers, sharing professional insights and expertise, participating in events and expert group meetings, and actively contributing as members of Accountancy Europe, the European Federation of Accountants and Auditors (EFAA), SMEunited and Early Warning Europe Network (EWEN).

European Commission in Brussels, Belgium, overlaid with the words 'Brussels buzz' and the ACCA logo

Highlight of the month

Strategic Dialogue with MEP Regina Doherty: Empowering SMPs and SMEs for EU Competitiveness

ACCA Brussels met with MEP Regina Doherty (EPP, Ireland), joined by Magdalena Krupa Hernandez, EEMA Director, and Orla Collins, FCCA, Past President, to discuss how SMEs - vital to Europe’s competitiveness - can be supported through their trusted advisors, small and medium-sized practices (SMPs). 

The dialogue highlighted the need to upskill SMPs in AI and digitalisation to empower SMEs for the digital transition, while also exploring collaboration opportunities during Ireland’s EU Council Presidency in 2026. ACCA reaffirmed its commitment to 16,000 members and 10,000 students in Ireland, and a wider European community of over 90,000, underscoring its leadership in linking SMP upskilling with AI adoption to drive SME growth. 

As a next step, ACCA will host a high-level European Parliament event on 4 February, co-chaired by MEPs Regina Doherty and Michalis Hadjipantela, to examine AI’s impact on the profession, the skills gap, and challenges facing SMPs - positioning accountants as proactive partners in strengthening SMEs and advancing EU competitiveness.

Shaping policy: key developments driving ACCA engagement

Building on our strategic dialogue with MEP Regina Doherty on Ireland’s upcoming EU Council Presidency in 2026, ACCA has contributed to the Irish Government’s consultation on priorities for that Presidency. We proposed an overarching theme of a growing, competitive and inclusive Europe, with a strong focus on SMEs as the backbone of the economy and accountants as their trusted advisors. Central to our response is investment in education and training, particularly in digital and responsible AI adoption and sustainability, to equip professionals and businesses for Europe’s twin transitions.

These priorities directly support accounting professionals across Europe, reinforcing their role in guiding business through digital transformation and the green transition. Read the full consultation and ACCA’s response.

On 9 December, the European Commission announced political agreement on the first Omnibus (sustainability) simplification package, amending the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). The package aims to cut red tape, simplify reporting and due diligence, and protect smaller businesses from excessive information requests, while maintaining the EU’s sustainability objectives.

The agreement now moves to formal approval by the European Parliament: a committee vote on 11 December followed by a plenary vote on 16 December, paving the way for adoption before the year end. Follow the latest developments in ACCA’s regularly updated Q&A on the Omnibus package.

EFRAG has advised the European Commission on draft Simplified ESRS (European Sustainability Reporting Standards), aiming to reduce complexity while upholding EU Green Deal goals.

Reflecting ACCA’s consultation input, the standards will be shorter, clearer, and more accessible, with streamlined materiality, flexible narratives, no preference for direct value chain data, and better aligned with ISSB standards, in line with the revised CSRD (Omnibus Package I).

The Commission will draft a Delegated Act within six months, with adoption by mid‑2026 and application from 2028 on 2027 data.

The European Commission has launched a public consultation on its upcoming Skills Portability Initiative, open until 27 February 2026, which aims to make skills more transparent, digitalise learning credentials, and simplify recognition processes for regulated professions and non EU nationals to boost labour mobility across Europe.

ACCA is preparing a response, advocating for simpler and more streamlined recognition of accounting professionals, vital to tackling talent shortages and ensuring the profession continues to support Europe’s competitiveness and unlock the full potential of the Single Market.

Accountants are central to helping SMEs embrace digital transformation and thrive within Europe’s competitiveness agenda. ACCA’s new Digital Pathways Playbook: Accountants as leaders in digital adoption for SMEs sets out clear, practical recommendations to strengthen SME competitiveness and ensure accountants are fully recognised as drivers of growth and innovation.

This report offers valuable insights for your network and ongoing advocacy. Read the full report.

Events and engagements

ACCA took part in the recent member meetings of the European Federation of Accountants and Auditors for SMEs (EFAA), the organisation representing SMPs across Europe.  ACCA’s newly appointed Director of Policy and Insights, Claire Lindridge joined ACCA Brussels and fellow EFAA members in Brussels to discuss the key challenges and opportunities facing SMPs and their SME clients.

Discussions ranged from private equity investment and single market strategy to talent attraction, education and training, and the evolving impact of AI. Insights from IFAC President Jean Bouquot, the European Commission, and MEP Lidia Pereira highlighted a shared commitment to strengthening SMPs and SMEs across Europe. The meeting, led by EFAA President Salvador Marín and Head of Secretariat Sara Zambelli, provided valuable perspectives and reinforced the importance of collaboration in supporting SMPs as trusted advisors to SMEs and drivers of Europe’s competitiveness.

ACCA Brussels and colleagues Magdalena Krupa-Hernandez, Claire Lindridge, and Orla Collins, joined fellow professional accountancy organisations at Accountancy Europe’s Members’ Assembly in Brussels.

Discussions, led by Eelco van der Enden, AE’s CEO, focused on future EU priorities and the challenges shaping the profession, spanning audit supervision reform, artificial intelligence, professional qualifications and the Union of Skills, sustainability, private equity, and the 28th regime - providing a valuable platform to exchange perspectives and reflect on how the profession can continue to evolve and add value in a rapidly changing environment.

ACCA Brussels joined SMEunited’s Vision 2040 by Crafts & SMEs conference in Brussels, where European Commissioners and stakeholders debated the future of Europe’s 26 million SMEs. Anastasia Chalkidou, ACCA member from Greece, provided a video testimonial that was featured at the conference.

In the video, Anastasia highlighted the power of entrepreneurship, shared her business mission, and illustrated how accountants fuel the EU economy – standing as indispensable partners in strengthening Europe’s resilience and competitiveness.

On 18 November, ACCA Europe hosted Empowering Accountancy: Bridging Talent and Skills for Enhanced EU Competitiveness, an online conference with over 300 participants. Highlighted in our November 2025 issue of Brussels Buzz, the event supported the priorities of the Danish EU Council Presidency.

MEP Marianne Vind (Denmark, S&D) underlined the urgency of tackling talent shortages and the forthcoming EU Talent Pool, while a panel explored strategies to close skills gaps and attract talent. A forthcoming ACCA White Paper with 10 recommendations setting out our vision for placing the profession at the heart of Europe’s growth will be published in 2026.

Call to action

In just 10 minutes, share your views and instantly see how they compare with peers worldwide and across different regions including Europe.

Your voice will shape this year’s global insights and strengthen the profession’s influence. All responses are fully confidential and securely managed by Verve Partners for ACCA - don’t miss the chance to make your perspective count. 

ACCA Priorities for the EU 2024 – 2029

Read our recommendations to the EU institutions and priorities on sustainability, AI and Talent. 

Download (PDF, 1.1 MB)

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