Accrual accounting in EU local governments: One method, several approaches

This paper seeks to measure the degree of accrual implementation in EU local government accounting systems and also tries to give an answer to the question of why accrual accounting has overcome the resistance to other New Public Management (NPM) reforms in countries relatively suspicious of them. We carry out our analysis through the comparison of the accrual accounting legal requirements in force in each country, and the published financial statements, taking the IPSASs of the IFAC as a benchmark. The results show different degrees of accrual accounting implementation and legal compliance. The reason of accrual accounting dissemination lies partially in that the dual systems implemented in European Continental countries do not require the introduction of deep organizational changes and answer the democratic demands of citizens for higher responsiveness, transparency and accountability, while traditional budgetary statements are maintained for monitoring compliance with legality and for administrative decision-making purposes. © 2009 European Accounting Association.