(HONG KONG, 17 November 2023) The Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (the Institute) is pleased to announce the signing of a five-year extension to the Reciprocal Membership Agreements (RMA) with five chartered accountancy bodies within the Global Accounting Alliance (GAA). These extended agreements will remain in effect until 30 November 2028. Based on the agreements, the Institute and the respective signatory overseas professional accounting bodies mutually recognize the professional examinations and practical experience training in full.

The accounting bodies participating in this RMA extension include the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ), Chartered Accountants Ireland (CAI), Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW), Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS), South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) and Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (HKICPA). The leadership of the participating bodies convened in a meeting in Munich, Germany, during which they officially signed the respective agreements.

Loretta Fong, President of the HKICPA said, “The Institute is delighted to extend the existing Reciprocal Membership Agreements with the five Chartered Accountancy bodies within the GAA. The RMAs provide continuing support to our members who aspire to advance their careers in different regions around the world. This extension serves as a testament to the international acclaim and recognition bestowed upon the Institute’s membership qualification, demonstrating the excellence and prestige of the accounting profession in Hong Kong.”

To facilitate the extension of the RMAs, the GAA formed a dedicated action taskforce for conducting the rigorous mutual peer reviews across the signing bodies on membership qualification and exemption terms before reaching the decision to extend the agreements.

As informed by CPA Canada, the agreement provisions will be further refined. The GAA accountancy bodies will continue to work with CPA Canada to conclude the signing of the RMA in due course.

Currently, the HKICPA has signed Reciprocal Membership Agreement (RMA), Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRA) or Mutual Examination Paper Exemptions (MEPE) with overseas and Mainland professional accounting bodies. For details regarding the recognition arrangements between HKICPA and professional accountancy bodies, please refer to the appendix.

^{The Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants extended the Reciprocal Membership Agreements (RMA) with five chartered accountancy bodies within the Global Accounting Alliance (GAA). The leadership of the participating bodies convened in a meeting in Munich, Germany, during which the extension agreement was officially signed. Margaret Chan, Chief Executive and Registrar of the Institute (first from left) attended the event as the Institute’s representative.}

Appendix

About the recognitions between HKICPA and overseas accounting bodies

The membership of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (HKICPA) is widely recognized around the world, which brings convenience to members for overseas career development in accordance to their needs. Currently, the Institute holds various types of recognition agreements with overseas accounting bodies, enabling members of the Institute and overseas bodies to be eligible for full or partial exemption from professional qualification examinations for membership admission. These agreements are based upon mutual reviews of the examinations and qualification processes between the Institute and overseas bodies.

The Institute has mutual recognition agreements or mutual examination paper exemption with overseas and Mainland accounting bodies. The full list is as below:

Reciprocal Membership Agreement (RMA)

·           Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ)

·           Chartered Accountants Ireland (CAI)

·           Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)

·           Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS)

·           South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA)

·           Institute of Chartered Accountants of Zimbabwe (ICAZ)

·           Chartered Professional Accountants Canada (CPA Canada)*

* The CPA Canada will further refine the agreement provisions to conclude the renewal agreement with GAA accountancy bodies.

Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA)

·           CPA Australia

·           Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)

Mutual Examination Paper Exemption

·           Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)

·           Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants (CICPA)

About RMA between the Global Accounting Alliance (GAA) member bodies

The Institute is one of the member bodies of GAA. Currently, the Institute holds Reciprocal Membership Agreements (RMA) with multiple chartered accountancy bodies of the GAA. Based on the RMA, the Institute and these overseas professional accounting bodies recognise both the professional examinations and practical experience training of the other body in full.

When the expiration date of RMA is approaching, a dedicated action taskforce will be formed by GAA for conducting rigorous and fair peer reviews and field trips across the signing bodies on membership qualification and exemption terms before reaching the decision to extend the agreement.

香港會計師公會與全球會計聯盟5特許會計成員團體

簽署延續專業資格互認協議

（香港，2023年11月17日）香港會計師公會（公會）欣然宣布，與全球會計聯盟（GAA）的5個海外特許會計團體成員，簽署延續專業資格互認協議(RMA)，將現有的協議延長五年，至2028年11月30日。根據協議，簽署的海外專業會計團體機構與公會將全面相互承認對方機構的專業考試及實踐經驗培訓。

是項專業資格互認協議的參與機構包括澳洲及紐西蘭特許會計師公會(CA ANZ)、愛爾蘭特許會計師(CAI)、英格蘭及威爾士特許會計師公會(ICAEW)、蘇格蘭特許會計師協會(ICAS)、南非特許會計師公會(SAICA)以及香港會計師公會(HKICPA)。參與機構的領導層於德國慕尼黑舉行會議，並簽署有關協議。

香港會計師公會會長方蘊萱表示：「欣喜公會與GAA的5個特許會計團體成員延續現行的專業資格互認協議，繼續協助有志於世界不同地區發展的會員開創事業。同時，有關協議亦反映公會的會員資格備受國際會計業界認可，彰顯本港會計專業之卓越水平。」

為延續專業資格互認協議，GAA成立行動小組，進行嚴謹且持平的評核工作，讓各成員機構相互檢視會員專業資格及豁免條件等，才決定簽署新一輪互認協議。

由於接獲CPA Canada通知，協議條款將會作進一步調整，GAA會計團體成員將繼續與CPA Canada合作，適時完成簽署會員資格互認協議。

現時，公會與多個海外及內地會計專業團體簽署專業資格互認協議、相互承認協議或免試安排。有關公會與海外及內地會計團體簽署的資格互認安排，請參閱附件。

^{公會與全球會計聯盟的五個特許會計團體成員延續現有的專業資格互認協議，各參與機構的領導層於德國慕尼黑舉行會議，並簽署有關協議。香港會計師公會行政總裁兼註冊主任陳詠新（左一）代表公會出席。}

附件

有關香港會計師公會與海外會計機構的資格互認協議

香港會計師公會的會員資格廣受國際認可，方便會員按需要於海外發展事業。現時，公會與海外會計專業團體維持著不同的認可協議，公會及這些海外會計團體的會員將可以相互全面或部分豁免專業資格考試而申請成為會員。公會與海外會計團體是基於相互檢視其考試及取得資歷程序而簽訂資格互認協議。

香港會計師公會與多個海外會計機構持有資格互認協議或免試安排。名單詳列如下：

專業資格互認協議 (Reciprocal Membership Agreement, RMA)

·         澳洲及紐西蘭特許會計師公會(CAANZ)

·         愛爾蘭特許會計師(CAI)

·         英格蘭及威爾士特許會計師公會(ICAEW)

·         蘇格蘭特許會計師協會(ICAS)

·         南非特許會計師公會(SAICA)

·         津巴布韋特許會計師協會(ICAZ)

·         加拿大特許專業會計師協會(CPA Canada)*

*CPA Canada需要進一步調整協議條款，始與其他GAA會計團體成員完成簽署延續專業資格互認協議。

相互承認協議 (Mutual Recognition Agreement, MRA)

·         澳洲會計師公會 (CPA Australia)

·         特許公認會計師公會 (ACCA)

相互考試試卷豁免安排 (Mutual Examination Paper Exemption)

·         中國注冊會計師協會 (CICPA)

·         特許管理會計師公會 (CIMA)

有關全球會計聯盟(GAA)成員機構的專業資格互認協議

公會是GAA成員機構之一，現時與多個GAA特許會計團體成員簽訂專業資格互認協議(RMA)。公會與這些簽署的海外專業會計團體機構全面相互承認對方機構的專業考試及實踐經驗培訓。

每當互認協議到期前，GAA都會成立行動小組，進行嚴謹且持平的互相評核工作及實地考察，讓各成員機構相互檢視會員專業資格及豁免條件等，才決定簽署新一輪互認協議。