Evolution of Internal Auditing in EU Member States

This paper focuses on a CBOK study that shows the evolution of the Internal Audit Function (IAF) in companies around Europe. This research report is the first providing in depth comparative data on the status of the internal audit profession in Europe. The internal audit profession differs significantly within Europe in terms of profile of internal auditors, characteristics of the internal audit function, staffing, compliance to The IIA Standards and internal audit activities. Most of these differences amongst countries can be, directly or indirectly, linked to a different maturity of the internal audit profession in each of these areas. We found that responding internal audit practitioners have very diverse backgrounds in terms of education, professional qualifications and professional experience. Also, it was surprising to see that 35% of the respondents still indicate that their internal audit function does not formally measure their added value, this being an important aspect that defines this profession.