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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

AI and the Talent Challenge: ACCA Brings the Debate to the European Parliament

ACCA convened a high-level roundtable at the European Parliament on 4 February, co hosted by MEPs Michalis Hadjipantela and Regina Doherty, to explore how AI is reshaping the accounting profession and what this means for Europe’s SMEs and SMPs.

Policymakers, professional bodies, academics and business leaders examined the accelerating regulatory and technological landscape, and the critical role accountants play in helping SMEs stay competitive. AI emerged as the top driver of change identified in ACCA’s Career Paths Reimagined research, reinforcing the urgency of equipping finance professionals with future ready skills - fully aligned with EU priorities such as the Union of Skills and the Skills Portability Initiative. ACCA’s new Technology in Finance certificates are part of this commitment to supporting the profession’s transition.

AI and the Talent Challenge Lunch Network by Omar Havana

The discussion underscored the essential contribution of SMPs in guiding SMEs through regulatory complexity - from digital and to AML - while also highlighting persistent talent challenges. Participants called for dedicated, accessible EU funding to support education, training and upskilling across the profession.

The European Commission’s Steven Engels, Head of Unit on Professional Qualifications and Skills for Competitiveness at the Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL), presented key elements of the Skills Portability Initiative, currently open for consultation, and ACCA is preparing its response. A clear message resonated: targeted investment in skills is vital to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness and attract the next generation of accounting talent.

ACCA has published a White Paper with policy recommendations emerging from the European Parliament event and will continue engaging EU and national policymakers on upcoming initiatives, including the Skills Portability Initiative.

Shaping policy: key developments driving ACCA engagement

ACCA met with Commissioner Michael McGrath, responsible for democracy, justice and the rule of law, to discuss upcoming EU initiatives that will shape the future of the profession. The conversation focused on the forthcoming 28th EU regime for innovative companies - an opportunity to help SMEs and SMPs scale across Europe through a fully digital, harmonised framework.

ACCA reiterated its support for the initiative, building on its consultation response from last September, and stressed the need for EU investment in skills to drive the green and digital transitions. The Commission is expected to table the proposal – which will probably be branded “EU Inc” – in March 2026, with scope potentially covering insolvency, labour law and elements of tax.

ACCA also met senior officials from the cabinet of Commissioner Maria Luís Albuquerque to discuss key files shaping the profession.

Discussions covered potential EU audit supervision reform and the implementation of the Sustainability Omnibus Package, including the revised CSRD, ESRS and future assurance standards.

Follow the latest developments on this topic with ACCA’s regularly updated Q&A on the EU Sustainability Omnibus package.

Following ACCA’s high level conference Empowering Accountancy: Bridging Talent and Skills for Enhanced EU Competitiveness, which gathered over 300 EU policymakers, practitioners, academics and stakeholders, ACCA has published a White Paper with ten policy recommendations to strengthen Europe’s talent pipeline.

Developed with the European Accounting Association (EAA) and aligned with the priorities of the Danish EU Council Presidency, the paper underscores the importance of quality education, lifelong learning and workforce mobility to meet the demands of the green and digital transitions. The strong engagement at the conference highlights the urgency of addressing Europe’s skills and talent challenges. Join our conversation on LinkedIn and let us know what actions should Europe prioritise to empower the profession and boost competitiveness.

Events and engagements

ACCA, ICPAC and the University of Cyprus are hosting AI Strategies for a Competitive Europe: Empowering the Finance and Accounting Professions on 19 March under the patronage of the Cyprus EU Presidency. The conference will examine how AI can strengthen Europe’s competitiveness through innovation, accountability, and a fair digital and climate neutral transition.

Speakers from EU institutions, academia, business and the profession will explore capability gaps, upskilling needs and practical implementation of the AI Act. The event will conclude with a White Paper outlining concrete policy actions to build a skilled, trusted and competitive AI ecosystem. The event is available on demand

ACCA Ireland will host the 2026 annual conference of the European Federation of Accountants & Auditors for SMEs and SMPs. The event offers a platform to spotlight the challenges facing SMPs in Ireland and across Europe, and to discuss solutions with professional bodies and senior EU and national policymakers.

Key topics will include the impact of the IESBA Code of Ethics - featuring IESBA Chair Gabriela Figueiredo - and the role of small and medium-sized accounting practices supporting SMEs and Europe's competitiveness agenda.

Call to action

Across every development this month, the message is clear: Europe needs dedicated, easy to access funding to equip the profession for AI, sustainability and regulatory change, and to secure the talent that drives SME growth and economic resilience.

ACCA urges EU policymakers to back Europe’s competitiveness by investing in the full skills pipeline - financial literacy in schools, market ready training in universities, and accessible upskilling for professionals.

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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