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Introduction to FEE

The Fédération des Experts Comptables Européens (FEE) is the representative organisation for the accountancy profession in Europe. FEE's membership consists of 44 professional institutes of accountants from 32 countries. FEE member bodies are present in all 25 member states of the European Union and three member countries of EFTA. FEE member bodies represent more than 500,000 accountants in Europe. Roughly 45% of these accountants work in public practice, providing a wide range of services to clients. The other 55% work in various capacities in industry, commerce, government and education.
FEE commenced operations on 1 January 1987. It took over responsibility for the activities previously carried out separately by the Union Européenne des Experts Comptables, Economiques et Financiers (UEC) and the Groupe d’Etudes des Experts Comptables de la CEE (Group d’Etudes). Both organisations had served the European accountancy profession since 1951 and 1961 respectively.
The governing body of FEE is the General Assembly, which has its ordinary meeting every two years. Management of the Federation is the responsibility of the Council. Responsibility for implementing Council’s decisions rests with the Executive, which comprises FEE’s President, Deputy President and Vice Presidents.
FEE is an “Association International” created under Belgian law and recognised by a Royal Decree dated 30 December 1986. As such it is a “non profit” organisation.

Objectives

FEE is a non-profit association. Its objectives are:
to promote and advance the interests of the European accountancy profession in the broadest sense recognising the public interest in the work of the profession;
to work towards the enhancement, harmonisation and liberalisation of the practice and regulation of accountancy, statutory audit and financial reporting in Europe in both the public and private sector, taking account of developments at a worldwide level and, where necessary, promoting and defending specific European interests;
to promote co-operation among the professional accountancy bodies in Europe in relation to issues of common interest in both the public and private sector;
to identify developments that may have an impact on the practice of accountancy, statutory audit and financial reporting at an early stage, to advise member bodies of such developments and, in conjunction with member bodies, to seek to influence the outcome;
to be the sole representative and consultative organisation of the European accountancy profession in relation to the EU institutions;
to represent the European accountancy profession at the international level.

Governance of FEE

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The General Assembly is a biennial meeting of all the members of the Federation. The General Assembly receives a report of the Council presented by the President and the report of the Treasurer. It approves the level of expenditure; elects a President; appoints the auditor and adopts decisions upon any constitutional or other matters referred to it by the Council.

COUNCIL

The Federation is administered by a Council which consists of one representative appointed by each country of which at least one professional body is an ordinary member of the Federation. The Council alone is authorised to formulate the policies of the Federation. It may delegate the implementation and practical application of these policies to the Executive.

EXECUTIVE

The Executive is responsible for the implementation of the decisions taken by the Council as well as for the day-to-day management of FEE.
FEE Executive Members 2005-2006:
David Devlin, President
Jacques Potdevin, Deputy President & Treasurer
Jose Maria Bove, Vice-President
Klaus-Gunter Klein, Vice-President
Torben Haaning, Vice-President
Stefano Marchese, Vice-President
Andrew Popham, Vice-President,
Hans Van Damme, Vice-President

WORKING PARTIES

Council decisions are usually prepared by working parties, established to elaborate on specific Council objectives. Some of the working parties continue their activities over a long period due to the characteristic of the subject matter and subsequent development. All member bodies, including correspondent members, have the right to appoint a representative to serve on each working party. Details of the working parties' activities are available in the following section of the FEE website: Our Work