Accountancy jobs row hits the EU
UK and Irish chartered accountancy bodies are lobbying the European Union to change its recruitment policy, which they say discriminates against non-graduates with chartered accountancy qualifications.
A recruitment drive by the European Court of Auditors favoured graduates over those with the CA qualification, according to the UK Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies.
Julian Paleson, English ICA representative at its European Union office, said: ‘The European institutions recognise something is wrong and are reviewing the situation. The continental tradition favours graduate entrants.
This is completely wrong.’ But he added he was ‘cautiously optimistic of a positive response’.
David Brew, chief executive of the Scots ICA, said: ‘We are not going to let this go. Our aim is to ensure that in any future recruitment competitions the CA qualifications are treated as entirely sufficient for candidates to enter.’
A response was expected at the end of November, but with the ‘EU’s wheels grinding exceedingly slow’, it is thought it will be next year before an announcement.
Any decision has to be agreed by all three institutions ? the European parliament, the Court of Auditors, and the Commission.