Today, within the first edition of the European Public Sector Forum: New challenges for internal and external auditors in the Public Sector organized by the European Confederation of Internal Audit Institutes (ECIIA), SAI Latvia, as EUROSAI Board member and Portfolio holder on “Cooperation with non-SAI stakeholders”, opened the Forum to launch the Project Group on collaboration with ECIIA.

Speaking on behalf of EUROSAI - SAI Latvia, Head of Strategy and development Silvija Nora Kalniņš stated: “The scope and formats of our [internal audits and supreme audit institutions] cooperation, with internal audits and supreme audit institutions, are expanding and are not limited to communication and using the work produced through audits. We also have excellent cooperation examples in developing common experience exchange and capacity building seminars, as well as others” and the Project Group will provide an opportunity to continue this exchange of ideas.

The Memorandum of Understanding of the Joint EUROSAI-ECIIA Project Group will be signed between ECIIA and SAI Latvia in April 2022. The overall objective of the PG is: To facilitate common language, understanding between EUROSAI and ECIIA and to promote common roles and appropriate use of standards, and share knowledge. The specific objective for the initial period of this PG is to enhance knowledge on assurance coordination and its benefits to EUROSAI and ECIIA members. Any additional issues to be focused upon within this PG would be initiated after mutual discussion and agreement between ECIIA and EUROSAI. Based upon previous cooperation, the focus of the initial work will be on “Assurance coordination” and will build upon data collected through a survey conducted by ECIIA in 2016.

Forum participants also engaged in discussions on the guidance “Integrated Reporting in the European Public Sector: It’s time to act!” which was developed by the Netherlands Court of Audit (NCA) in cooperation with ECIIA. The panel included information from experts of the Netherlands Court of Audit, Mark Hendrix (Expert Accounting/Auditing) and Martin Dees (Strategic Advisor on public auditing). The discussions included information on promoting integrated reporting in the public sector and view on the opportunities and challenges for external and internal auditors in integrated reporting. The Netherlands Court of Audit representatives placed importance on the opportunity and challenge for the public sector to lead by example rather than to lag behind in the area of integrated reporting and integrated thinking. External and internal auditors can stimulate this by well-coordinated ‘Triple A’ contributions: as ambassadors, advisors and assurance providers.

EUROSAI members interested in participating in the Joint EUROSAI-ECIIA Project Group, can contact zane.leitane@lrvk.gov.lv to express interest and/or receive the Terms of Reference for the PG.