Austria

• Capital: Vienna
• Population: approx. 8,837,000
• Language: German
• Part of the EU since: 1995

Member Bodies

• Institute of Austrian Chartered Accountants (IWP)
• The Austrian Chamber of Tax Advisors and Public Accountants (KSW)

Professional Bodies

Profession

Professions¹	Public Accountants (Wirtschaftsprüfer)	Tax Advisors (steuerberater)
Professional body	KSW	KSW
Protected title	Yes	Yes
Reserved activities	§ 3 (1) WTBG 2017² The persons entitled to independently practise the profession of public accountant are reserved to do such Wirtschaftstreuhaender work explicitly referred to, which require an assurance service of an independent auditor, in particular those in other statutes with the explicit provision that it may only be validly carried out by public accountants.	§ 2 (1) WTBG 2017 The persons entitled to independently practise the profession of tax advisor are reserved the right to carry out the following activities: counselling and assistance in the field of tax law and accounting, bookkeeping (business accounting), including payroll accounting and cost accounting, counselling in the field of balance sheets and preparation of financial statements/closing of commercial books of account and records, representation in tax proceedings and administrative penalty proceedings concerning federal, provincial and local taxes, levies and charges and in subsidy matters before the finance authorities, the other Gebietskoerperschaften [federal, provincial and local authorities] and the Independent Administrative Panels as well as before all official acts set by tax authorities within its scope of delegated fiscal policy tasks and authorities, except such measures of fiscal authorities in ordinary of the social fraud act, carrying out of auditing services which do not require a formal audit opinion, these are auditing services which do not require any assurance services of an independent auditor, and written reporting thereon and 6. drawing up of expert opinions in the fields of bookkeeping and balance sheets, tax law and in the fields where the giving of an opinion requires knowledge in the field of accounting and business economics.
Included authorisations	§ 3 (2) WTBG 2017 In addition, the persons entitled to independently practise the profession of public accountant are entitled to carry out the following activities: the statutory audit and any audit, based on public or private order, of the accounting, financial statements, cost accounting, calculation and commercial management of companies, with or without the issuing of a formal audit opinion, bookkeeping (business accounting) including payroll accounting and cost accounting, including counselling in these fields, counselling and assistance in the field of accounting and balance sheets and preparation of financial statements/closing of commercial books of account and records, all consultancy services and activities in connection with operational accounting and counselling regarding establishing and organisation of an internal controlling system, counselling on reorganisation, in particular the preparation of reorganisation opinions, organisation of reorganisation plans, examination of reorganisation plans and accompanying control in the implementation of reorganisation plans, counselling and representation of their clients in foreign exchange matters excluding the representation before ordinary courts, drawing up of expert opinions in the fields of bookkeeping and balance sheets and in any fields where the giving of an opinion requires knowledge in the field of accounting and business economics, the practice of those fiduciary activities that are referred to in other laws with the explicit provision that they can only be carried out by auditors or public accountants, acting as escrow agent and asset management exempt management of buildings and counselling in work-related technical issues, the activity as mediator, when registered in the list according to the Mediator Act. § 3 (3) WTBG 2017 In addition, persons entitled to independently practice the profession of public accountant are entitled to carry out the following activities to the extent that they are directly related to the Wirtschaftstreuhaender work to be carried out for the same principal: 1.counseling in legal matters as well as the formation of simple, standardized, formbased labor contracts of any kind, representation before authorities and public corporation authorities including representation before the administrative courts and before courts regarding certain matters of the Commercial Register Act.	§ 2 (2) WTBG 2017 In addition, the persons entitled to independently practise the profession of tax advisor are entitled to carry out the following activities: all consultancy services in connection with activities described under para (1) all consultancy services and activities in connection with operational accounting and counselling regarding establishing and organisation of an internal controlling system, counselling in matters relating to contribution payments, insurance and services of the social security institutions and representation including representation before the administrative courts, counselling on reorganisation, in particular the preparation of reorganisation opinions, organisation of reorganisation plans, examination of reorganisation plans and accompanying control in the implementation of reorganisation plans, counselling and representation before statutorily recognised churches and religious communities in matters concerning contribution payments, representations before legal special interest groups for chamber contribution affairs, acting as escrow agent and administration of property with the exemption of the management of buildings and counselling in work-related technical issues, counselling and representation in tax proceedings and administrative penalty proceedings as well as in matters under clause 2 before the Supreme Administrative Court, with authority to sign certain procedural documents, the activity as mediator registered in the list according to the Mediator Act. § 2 (3) WTBG 2017 In addition, the persons entitled to independently practice the profession of tax advisor are entitled to carry out the following activities to the extent that they are directly related to the Wirtschaftstreuhaender work to be carried out for the same principal: counseling in legal matters as well as the formation of simple, standardized, formbased labor contracts of any kind, counseling and representation in all administrative proceedings, in criminal administrative proceedings but only in employment and social law commitments violations, before the Public Employment Service, professional organizations, the provincial tourist offices and other authorities and offices responsible for economic matters, including representation before the administrative courts and before courts regarding certain matters of the Commercial Register Act, counseling and representation in affairs of the economic owner register.

Supervision

	Public Accountants	Tax Advisors
Regulated profession	Yes	Yes
Supervision	Yes	Yes
Public oversight authority	KSW, Austrian Chamber of Tax Advisors and Public Accountants (Kammer der Steuerberater und Wirtschaftsprüfer) Audit Oversight Body of Austria (AOBA) – for registered statutory auditors only	KSW, Austrian Chamber of Tax Advisors and Public Accountants (Kammer der Steuerberater und Wirtschaftsprüfer)

Qualification

	Public Accountants	Tax Advisors
General initial education steps (without possible exemptions)	§ 13 WTBG 2017 • University or equivalent degree in relevant studies requiring at least 180 ECTS • Three years of training as professional trainee • Written and oral professional examination in business administration, financial accounting, law, auditing of financial statements and professional law •	§ 13 WTBG 2017 • University or equivalent degree in relevant studies requiring at least 180 ECTS • Three years of training as professional trainee • Written and oral professional examination in business administration, financial accounting, law, tax law and professional lawYes

Statistics

	Public Accountants	Tax Advisors
No. of qualified professionals	2,972 per January 2020 (individuals and firms)	8,080 per January 2020 (individuals and firms)
No. of new trainees per year	not allocable	not allocable
Total number or trainees	3,736 per January 2020	3,736 per January 2020
No. of people taking the professional examination	N/A	N/A
No. of people passing the professional examination	Taking professional oath (Beeidigungen) 52 in 2019	Swearing-in (Angelobungen): 179 in 2019

Market access – Qualified professionals

	Public Accountants	Tax Advisors
Registration required	Yes	Yes
Competent authority for registration	KSW plus AOBA for statutory auditors	KSW
Cost of appointment/ registration	Exam fee: €850	Exam fee: €850
Oath required	Yes (Beeidigung – oath)	Yes (Angelobung – swearing-in)
Insurance required	Yes	Yes
Professional address required	Yes – in EU or EEA (European Economic Area) Member State	Yes – in EU or EEA Member State