CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

In accordance with Article 12 of Law No 162/2017, ASPAAS ensures that statutory auditors comply with the obligation to take part in appropriate continuing professional education programmes, by organising/recognising courses. Where this task is delegated, the organisation/recognition of professional education courses for statutory auditors falls to the Chamber of Financial Auditors of Romania.
Continuing professional education activities needed to maintain a high level of practical skills and professional values cover the following fields of study:
A. Technical competence: A.1. Audit; A.2. Accounting; A.2.1. Financial accounting and reporting; International Financial Reporting Standards – IFRS; A.2.2. Cost and management accounting; A.3. Corporate governance, risk management; A.4. Business environment; A.5. Taxation; A.6. Information technology and statistics; A.7. Civil law and business law; A.8. Finance and financial management; B. Professional skills; C. Values, ethics and professional attitude; C.1. Internal quality control system (ISQC/ISQM); C.2. Professional ethics and independence.
Statutory auditors registered in the PER as active statutory auditors must complete each year at least 40 hours of continuing professional education (CPE hours), of which at least 20 hours must be structured continuing professional education hours (FPCS hours).
Statutory auditors registered in the PER as non-active statutory auditors must complete each year 50% of the total number of CPE hours, and of FPCS hours, set for active statutory auditors.
The minimum annual FPCS hour requirements set by the continuing professional education rules are as follows:
- all statutory auditors must complete specialised courses:
a) in the field of “Audit” (point A.1) – at least 10 hours/year; b) in the field of “Values, ethics and professional attitude” (point C) – at least 2 hours/year; c) in the other fields listed above, except those specified in points a) and b) – at least 8 hours/year.
- Statutory auditors who carry out statutory audit engagements at public-interest entitiesas key audit partner or engagement quality control reviewer must, in addition to the minimum requirements set out in point 1, complete specialised courses of at least 6 hours/year, in the following fields: public sector, banking, insurance, pensions and capital markets.
- Statutory auditors who carry out sustainability reporting assurance, in addition to
the minimum requirements set out in point 1, must complete specialised courses of at least 6 hours/year, in the following fields: legal requirements and standards for the preparation of annual and consolidated sustainability reporting; sustainability analysis; due diligence processes in relation to sustainability matters; legal requirements and assurance standards for sustainability reporting referred to in Article 32^1 of Law No 162/2017.
Meeting the requirements on continuing professional education is a mandatory condition for the granting of the annual visa issued by ASPAAS, in accordance with the Rules on granting the annual visa for carrying out statutory audit activity, approved by Order of the President of ASPAAS No 383/2019, as amended and supplemented. Failure to meet the continuing professional education requirements constitutes an administrative breach and is sanctioned under Article 40(4) of the same Law.
As regards the recognition of continuing professional education, this applies starting with the Continuing Professional Education Programme for 2026.




