The application of simplified financial reporting for micro and small enterprises in Central and Eastern Europe

Abstract

Micro- and small enterprises (MSE) have come to constitute the most dynamic element of growth in the transition economies of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Only through transparent reporting and com-municating information on sustainability work and performance can MSEs build their reputation and trust, attract new capital, and develop a competitive advantage. The paper aims to provide a cross-country analysis of the financial-reporting requirements concerning MSEs, a few years after the introduction of Directive 2013/34/EU. The paper focuses on the transposition of the Directive into the national laws of sixteen CEE-region countries. The objectives have been achieved through a systematic review of the current academic literature, and an analysis of national legislation and questionnaires developed for academics. It turned out that a country’s political status does not affect the implementation of the Di-rective. Moreover, although the Directive allows countries to take the specific conditions of their markets into account when making decisions regarding the size thresholds and a simplified accounting regime, most CEE countries have applied standard definitions and requirements. As a consequence, in almost all CEE countries, about 90% of entities may draw up abridged financial reports, which significantly limits the use of financial statements for decision making.