Subject: Uploading All Audit Files to Regulatory Bodies?
Hello everyone! I have a question for those of you involved in Audit practice globally. Are you aware of any recent developments in local Accounting or auditing laws that might require Audit firms in your countries to upload their working papers for all clients under audit, review, and other assurance engagements from the past eight years to a national audit supervisory body?
In Poland, there’s a proposed bill that could mandate the upload of approximately 240,000 complete audit, review, and assurance files in digital format within a two-year timeframe if it passes through parliament, which is already far along in the process.
I’m curious if similar initiatives are taking place elsewhere in the world, or if this is uniquely happening in Poland. Would love to hear your thoughts!
One response
This is an interesting and concerning development in Poland! The requirement to upload Audit files to a supervisory body certainly raises questions about client confidentiality and data security. While various countries have different regulations regarding Audit quality control and transparency, I am not aware of any other jurisdictions implementing a similar mandate that requires the mass uploading of working papers for all clients within such a short timeframe.
That said, there are ongoing trends in some countries toward increased transparency and oversight in the Audit profession. For example, the EU has introduced regulations aimed at strengthening audit quality, but these often focus on individual audits rather than broad mandates for document submission.
It would be interesting to hear if others in different regions are experiencing similar legislative pressures or initiatives. This could set a precedent for future oversight practices globally. How are firms in Poland preparing for this potential change, and what are the implications for auditors and their clients?