Harmonization of Non-financial Reporting Regulation in Europe: A Study of the Transposition of the Directive 2014/95/EU

Abstract

This chapter deals with the new European Union Directive 2014/95 on non-financial and diversity information (NFI Directive). The aim of the study is to explore the transposition of the NFI Directive in the leading European countries to understand what and how non-financial information is reported and verify whether the flexibility given to Member States in the implementation of the NFI Directive has implied that individual national interests prevail on achieving the success of NFI disclosure harmonisation. The research method is a multiple case study on the transposition of the NFI Directive in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. The comparison of the transposition laws indicates significant differences shape company obligations at the country level; however it appears that the harmonisation of non-financial reporting regulation in Europe has generally enhanced the consistency, transparency and comparability of NFI disclosed by companies and has improved corporate accountability to a large extent.