ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) endorses the Dutch Presidency’s focus on promoting economic growth and connecting with civil society-

In the first half of 2016, the Netherlands, one of the six founding members of the EU, will hold the EU Presidency for the twelfth time. The Dutch Presidency work programme focuses on four key areas: migration and international security; sound finances and a robust Eurozone; Europe as an innovator and job creator; and forward-looking climate and energy policy. These key areas entail a series of initiatives which are directly relevant for ACCA and its members.

Helen Brand OBE, ACCA’s Chief Executive says: “ACCA wholeheartedly supports the motto of the Dutch Presidency, which is promoting economic growth and connecting with civil society. We also believe in business-minded, pragmatic approaches, focussing on concrete initiatives and encouraging better regulation.”

As a global professional qualifications provider, ACCA particularly praises the focus on modernizinghigher and professional education so it can meet the needs of an increasingly mobile labour market and provide the skills and knowledge needed today and in the Europe of the future.

Helen Brand adds:  “I’m very pleased to see that the Dutch Presidency will be looking into how to create more scope for online education and internationalisation, which is core to ACCA’s own philosophy. In 2015, we launched our own global online learning platform ACCA-X allowing anyone, anywhere in the world, to access finance and accounting courses.

ACCA also welcomes the progress made on the digital single market.

Helen Brand explains: “The roles of accounting and finance professionals are continually evolving, and much of this is fueled by the digital revolution, the SoMoClo (social, mobile, and cloud) and other emerging technologies. As the experts in extracting value from data, accountants also need to be at the heart of discussions on cyber security, data management and protection, data governance and data lifecycle.

The Dutch Presidency’s programme is also strong on foreign affairs and International trade. Helen Brand adds: “As a global body, ACCA supports its 178,000 members and 455,000 students in 181 countries; we will therefore be closely following negotiations with the US on TTIP, and also discussions with  South American and ASEAN countries.

“ACCA looks forward to collaborating with, and offering its support to, the new Dutch Presidency team.”

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For further information:

Cecile Bonino , tel: +32 (0) 2 286 11 37or cecile.bonino@accaglobal.com

Notes to Editors

About ACCA

ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is the global body for professional accountants. It offers business-relevant, first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability and ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management.

ACCA supports its 178,000 members and 455,000 students in 181 countries, helping them to develop successful careers in accounting and business, with the skills required by employers. ACCA works through a network of 95 offices and centres and more than 7,110 Approved Employers worldwide, who provide high standards of employee learning and development. Through its public interest remit, ACCA promotes appropriate regulation of accounting and conducts relevant research to ensure accountancy continues to grow in reputation and influence.

Founded in 1904, ACCA has consistently held unique core values: opportunity, diversity, innovation, integrity and accountability. It believes that accountants bring value to economies in all stages of development and seek to develop capacity in the profession and encourage the adoption of global standards. ACCA’s core values are aligned to the needs of employers in all sectors and it ensures that through its range of qualifications, it prepares accountants for business. ACCA seeks to open up the profession to people of all backgrounds and remove artificial barriers, innovating its qualifications and delivery to meet the diverse needs of trainee professionals and their employers. More information is here: www.accaglobal.com