Accounting and Auditing

Abstract

Although it is more than a decade since the elaboration of the first public accounting
standards, countries are still reluctant to adopt them, preferring rather an adaptation of national
legislation with the provisions IPSASs. Concerns about the necessity and usefulness of the application
of International Public Sector Accounting Standards are due to economic influences, cultural, social,
which made their mark on philosophy, doctrine and national accounting policies. Although financial
statements may appear similar from country to country, there are differences that can be caused by a
variety of social, economic and legal factors, and that some countries when setting the national
requirements have considered the needs of different users of financial statements. These factors have
led to the use of different definitions of the structures of financial statements, such as assets,
liabilities, equity, revenues and expenses. Scope and disclosures in the financial statements were also
affected. Therefore, this paper intends to emphasize similarities, but especially the differences
between the two frames of reference - national norms to international standards - regarding Statement
of financial position on a public institution.