The European Union tried to harmonize the qualifications of auditors in member states through the Eighth Company Law Directive. However, other aspects of the regulation of auditors have not been dealt with in EC directives and show a wide diversity. Rules concerning the liability of auditors are...

Purpose – The aim of the present paper is to examine the impact of agency costs on the demand for non-audit services (NAS) in Germany. Design/methodology/approach – This study uses data from German listed companies to test whether audit clients vary their purchases of NAS according to agency...

In order to restore confidence in financial statements the European Commission proposes different measures to enhance audit quality. This paper examines potential effects of selected proposals on audit quality in the light of prior research findings. It concludes that an increased emphasis on...