3 février 2025
On 18 December 2024, the Royal Decree of 5 December 2024 “on the approval of the regulation of the National Bank of Belgium of 16 July 2024 on the accreditation of auditors and audit firms” has been published in the Official Gazette. This new regulation replaces the previous regulation of 21 December 2012 and entered into force on 28 December 2024.
We would like to draw your attention to the following important modification with respect to the preliminary approval of the NBB of the appointment of an accredited auditor for the statutory audit mandate at a financial institution.
Article 25 of the said regulation stipulates the following:
“Such approval must be requested by the competent corporate body at least two months before the scheduled date of the appointment proposal submitted to the appointing body and, where applicable, to the works council.”
Considering that in the past this deadline was one month, this modification may have a significant impact on the financial institutions’ decision process with respect to the appointment of a new accredited statutory auditor. Accredited auditors currently involved in a proposal process are recommended to inform the financial institution concerned.
We attach the Royal Decree to this communication. If you would have further questions, do not hesitate to contact Veerle Sablon (v.sablon@irefi-iraif.be) or myself.
Damien Walgrave
Chairman