Mr Krister Andersson participated in an event on "The impact of Digital and Artificial Intelligence on audit and finance professionals: harnessing the opportunities of disruptive technologies"

Mr Andersson  participated in the ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and EY jointly-organised event in Brussels on "The impact of Digital and Artificial Intelligence on audit and finance professionals: harnessing the opportunities of disruptive technologies".

Discussions revolved around how data mining/analytics can reinforce the quality of the audit, and how auditing standards will evolve as a result of digital transformation. Speakers also tackled the role of the auditors and finance professionals in embracing change - how to adapt their skills, training and education-, as well as the major challenges of big data in auditing, from a 'behavioral' auditing perspective.

Jeanne Boillet, Global Assurance Innovation leader, EY, kicked off the debate and MEP Ivana Maletić gave a welcoming speech. Alain Deckers, head of the Corporate Reporting, Audit and CRAs unit, DG FISMA, moderated the panel that comprised of Sue Almond, member of IAASB’s data analytic working group, Global Head of Assurance, Grant Thornton International Ltd, Mark Edmondson, CEO, inflo, Prof Marleen Willekens, KU Leuven, Olivier Boutellis-Taft, CEO, AccountancyEurope. ACCA’s Head of Audit and Assurance Andrew Gambier gave concluding remarks.

The meeting was particularly interesting from a future tax perspective. The use of data in taxation will not only impact audits and accounting, but also how taxes and its collection can be done in the sharing economy (see Opinion ECO-434 on Taxation of the collaborative  economy). Since its European Council Presidency, Estonia has shown increased interest in how information from platforms, like Uber and AirBnB, can be collected and applied in a uniform way in the EU. Senior officials from Estonian Ministry of Finance (Mr. D.Jegerov) has worked on these issues. Mr Andersson believes that the EESC could make a contribution in this area and that the Committee should consider initiating such work.