International Finance and Accounting Handbook

15 • 9

France

Commissaire aux Comptes

Laws, beginning with the

The applicant is placed on an

Academic diploma, which

(Statutory Auditor)

Companies Act 1863; now

official list after meeting the

qualifies one for the profes-

Companies Act 1966. This

following conditions:

sional examination cycle.

act has been modified many

1. be 25 years of age;

times but still kept the date of

2. be a citizen in France or

1966.

the European Union;3. successfully complete theexamination cycle; and4. have three years’ practicalexperience in auditing.

Germany

Wirtschaftsprüfer

Commercial Law and Federal

The applicant must be pub-

A university course in busi-

(Independent Public

Wirtschaftsprüfer-ordnung

licly appointed and sworn in

ness economics, economics,

Accountants)

Law of 1961, awarded in

after meeting personal and

law, engineering, or agricul-

1995.

professional qualifications

ture. Experience may be

following a government-

substituted.

regulated admission and ex-amination procedure, whichincludes a heavy experiencerequirement (minimum offour years).

Sweden

Authorized Public

Law and government;

The

To be licensed as an AR, one

A degree from a

4 -year

Accountant (Aukand

Supervisory Board of Public

must meet the following ba-

Swedish university or school

Approved Public Accountant

Accountants (SBPA)

sic requirements:

of economics (

3

years for a

(Godkaend

Revisor (GR))

1. Hold a

master

of com-

GR); 5 years of experience

merce degree from a Swedish

(3 years for a GR

).

university, with honor grades

Continuing professional

in business administration

education is not required but

and law;

recommended.

2. have five years of experi-ence in the accounting field,under supervision of anauthorized public accountant;and

Exhibit 15.1.

(Continued

)