New quality audit report standards for statutory auditors and tax advisors
Austria's audit oversight authority (APAB) has issued new rules on how statutory auditors and tax advisors must structure and present their internal quality assurance audit reports. The regulation takes effect immediately upon publication (3 July 2026) and replaces the previous 2017 version.
What changed
The regulation sets out the mandatory structure and content of written quality audit reports. Reports must now include eight main sections: general information (assignment, client details, planning), quality management system principles, risk assessment processes, anti-money laundering checks, review of quality management areas (governance, professional conduct, client acceptance, audit performance, resources, communication, monitoring), findings from individual audits, and other notes (potential breaches, audit obstacles, additional remarks). Each finding must cite the relevant legal standard or professional rule and classify the defect as 'minor', 'significant', or 'material'.
Who is affected
This applies to statutory auditors (Wirtschaftsprüfer) and tax advisors (Steuerberater) in Austria who conduct internal quality assurance audits as part of their regulatory oversight. The audit oversight authority (APAB) has published a template on its website that auditors must follow.
What to look out for
Quality auditors must now be more explicit about which rules they are checking against (including references to KSW-PRL 2022 or QS VO 2024 standards) and must clearly grade every defect found. Reports must also cover anti-money laundering compliance checks and confirm that disclosure obligations under the audit law (APAG) are being met. The previous 2017 regulation is repealed.