§3 Assurance providers: conditions to provide sustainability assurance

Where a statutory auditor or audit firm approved to carry out the audit of financial statements within a Member State wishes to be approved to provide assurance on sustainability reporting, it will have to comply with the national measures transposing the relevant requirements set out in the Audit Directive as regards the assurance of sustainability reporting. These requirements cover in particular educational qualifications, examinations of professional competence, tests of theoretical knowledge, practical training and continuing education. Compliance with these requirements is not mandatory where the statutory auditor or audit firm does not provide assurance on sustainability reporting. Statutory auditors approved before 1 January 2026 – that were either approved before 1 January 2024 or that on 1 January 2024 were undergoing the approval process – that also want to carry out sustainability assurance, do not have to comply with these requirements, but still need to acquire the necessary knowledge through continuing education (69). Independent Assurance Services Providers (IASPs) may provide assurance of sustainability reporting where allowed by a Member State (70) and under the following conditions: — The IASP is accredited for the assurance of sustainability reporting in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 (71) (72); and — the IASP complies with requirements equivalent to those set out in the Audit Directive for statutory auditors in the Union to carry out the assurance of sustainability reporting (73). These requirements concern in particular: (a) training and examination; (b) continuing education; (c) quality assurance systems; (d) professional ethics, independence, objectivity, confidentiality and professional secrecy; (e) appointment and dismissal; (f) investigations and sanctions; (g) the organisation of the work of the independent assurance services provider, in particular in terms of sufficient resources and personnel and the maintenance of client account records and files; and (h) reporting irregularities. From 6 January 2027, a Member State that allows IASPs to carry out assurance services on sustainability reporting in its territory shall allow IASPs established in other Member States to carry out the assurance of sustainability reporting in its territory (74). Third-country auditors and audit entities that provide sustainability assurance for undertakings established in a third country with transferable securities admitted to trading on an EU regulated market of a Member State must be registered in that Member State (75). SECTION III FAQS ON SUSTAINABILITY INFORMATION TO BE REPORTED UNDER ARTICLES 19A/29A OF THE ACCOUNTING DIRECTIVE (INDIVIDUAL AND CONSOLIDATED SUSTAINABILITY STATEMENT)

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-09-07