The debate around EPSAS: a structured literature review for scholars and practitioners

IMPACT

This article looks at the debates about EPSAS (the harmonization process of public sector accounting in the European Union) from various perspectives. The authors’ aim is to motivate vital research co-operation between scholars and practitioners. Bridging theoretical research and practice will allow a deeper investigation of the accounting practices within the various levels of government and should reduce the options allowed by the future standards, guaranteeing transparency and comparability of financial information between and within member states.

ABSTRACT

This article presents a structured literature review of the European Public Sector Accounting Standards (EPSAS) debate. It analyses research to date on the EPSAS, looking at the EU’s goal of transparency and comparability of financial information between and within EU member states. The findings highlight opportunities for designing new collaborative efforts between scholars and practitioners that should bridge theoretical research and practice.

KEYWORDS:

• Accounting harmonization
• EPSAS
• international accounting practices
• public sector accounting
• structured literature review

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Editors and the anonymous reviewers for the insightful suggestions.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Notes on contributors

Vincenzo Sforza

Vincenzo Sforza is Associate Professor in Accounting in the Department of Economics, Engineering, Society, and Business Organization at the University of Tuscia-Viterbo, Italy. He was Director General at the same university, where he helped introduce accrual accounting, management control, and a performance management and measurement system.

Riccardo Cimini

Riccardo Cimini is Associate Professor in Business Administration in the Department of Economics, Engineering, Society, and Business Organization at the University of Tuscia-Viterbo, Italy.

Elisa Fanti

Elisa Fanti was a research assistant in the Department of Economics, Engineering, Society, and Business Organization at the University of Tuscia-Viterbo, Italy. She is a civil servant in the Italian National Ministry of Justice.