European Financial Reporting Enforcement: Analysis of Practices and Indices

This paper analyses how financial reporting enforcement varies across 17 Euro- pean countries and the extent to which enforcement indices used in the existing ac- counting literature capture this enforcement. Based on survey responses from Euro- pean enforcement bodies and regulatory specialists, the study finds extensive varia- tions in financial reporting enforcement across the European countries. Furthermore, enforcement indices used in the accounting literature do not appear to capture finan- cial reporting enforcement. These findings should be of interest to ESMA and other enforcement bodies as well as for the use of enforcement indices in accounting re- search.

Keywords: Financial reporting, Financial reporting enforcement, Enforcement, Regulation