International accountancy bodies

A listing of international professional bodies, organisations and networks for the accountancy sector.

Please see our pages on accounting by country for national professional bodies and organisations.

International organisations

Hospitality Financial & Technology Professionals
Formerly the International Association of Hospitality Accountants.

International Association of Practising Accountants (IAPA)
Association of independent accountancy and business advisory firms.

International Association of Bookkeepers
Professional body for those providing bookkeeping and related accounting services to small businesses.

International Federation of Accountants (IFAC)
Global accountancy body representing 163 member organizations in 120 countries to ‘protect the public interest by encouraging high quality practices by the world's accountants’. IFAC published revised good practice guidance on Establishing and Developing a Professional Accountancy Body in January 2011 and maintains a directory of members showing member bodies, associates, affiliates, regional organisations and groupings.

IFAC has established the following independent international standard-setting boards:

• International Accounting Education Standards Board (IAESB)
• International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB)
• International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA)
• International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB)

International Valuation Standards Committee (IVSC)
Organisation comprised of 50 professional valuation associations from around the world. The IVSC works closely with IFAC and the IASB, and has released International Valuation Standards (IVS) since 1985.

Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting (ISAR)
United Nations group aiming to help developing countries and economies in transition to implement best practices in corporate transparency and accounting.

Regional organisations and networks

Africa

Association of Accountancy Bodies of West Africa (ABWA)
Federation of accountancy bodies in the region.

Pan African Federation of Accountants (PAFA)
Organisation representing African professional accountancy bodies.

Asia

Asian-Oceanian Standard-Setters Group (AOSSG)
Group of standard-setting bodies formed to share experiences on IFRS adoption in the region.

Confederation of Asian and Pacific Accountants (CAPA)
Body representing accounting organisations in the Asia-Pacific region.

South Asian Federation of Accountants (SAFA)
Alliance of accountancy bodies in the region.

Caribbean

Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Caribbean
Network of accountancy and financial services bodies covering the Bahamas, Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

Europe

Accountancy Europe
Representative organisation for the accountancy profession in Europe.

European Accounting Association
Organisation for academics and researchers in the field of accounting.

European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG)
A private sector body that assists the European Commission with technical guidance on accounting issues, particularly the implementation of IFRS.

Federation of Mediterranean Accountants (FCM)
Body representing professional institutes of accountants in Mediterranean countries.

Latin America and North America

Grupo Latinoamericano de Emisores de Normas de Información Financiera (GLENIF) / Group of Latin American Accounting Standard Setters (GLASS)
Organisation representing 17 standard setting bodies across Central and South America.

Interamerican Accounting Association (AIC)
Association drawing together accountants and professional bodies in the Americas.

Middle East

Gulf Cooperation Council Accounting and Auditing Organization (GCCAAO)
Organisation that aims to represent and develop the accounting and auditing profession in the region.

International Arab Society of Certified Accountants (IASCA)
Independent organisation representing professionals in Arab League countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates and Algeria.

Russia and Eurasia

Eurasian Institute of Certified Public Accountants (EICPA) – CPA Eurasia
Organisation that unites national CPA institutes across the Eurasia region.