Implementation of the international public sector accounting standards in Europe. Variations on a global theme

As part of introducing accrual accounting in the public sector, many governments have – voluntarily implemented International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) for financial reporting. Amongst other claimed benefits, IPSAS been argued to facilitate comparison adopters’ reports and lead favourable conditions on credit markets. However, that are confronted with implementation decision face a trade-off between unaltered adoption, partial adaptation non-adoption standards. Drawing insights from literature standardization practice variation, this paper analyses reasons, expressed by various actors nine European countries, deviating implementing proposes taxonomy these reasons. The results show that, first, substantial deviations exist, second, there is plethora reasons them. These presented then structured further course paper. consequence deviations, achieving comparability as central aim runs risk being undermined.