Insurance appeals to the “Ally State” of accountants. “True impact”

O head of State spoke tonight at the opening dinner of the 8th Congress of Certified Accountants in Lisbon, in which also attended the Deputy Minister and State Reform, Gonçalo Matias.

António José Seguro considered that, in order for these professionals to be more free from repetitive tasks and to be able to focus on the growth of their clients, "it is also necessary to have an ally in the State, in particular by ensuring stability in tax legislation, allowing the changes that have been made, even if unavoidable, to be planned, prepared and debated long enough to be carried out without mishaps".

‘An ally in speed in the taking of administrative and judicial decisions and finally an ally in reducing bureaucracy, simplifying and modernising procedures’, he argued, stating that ‘only computer tools can have a real impact on the provision’ of the new accounting model.

In a speech of just over 10 minutes, Seguro warned that, despite "dematerialization and digitisation of processes, the integration of intelligent systems and predictive analysis" are already part of the day-to-day life of certified accountants, artificial intelligence "puts technical challenges and great demands, but also and above all challenges of an ethical nature".

"In my opinion, no system, however sophisticated, replaces professional judgment, independence of mind and integrity that have always distinguished the certified accountant. No algorithm assumes responsibility, ethical responsibility belongs to and will continue to belong to the human being, the ability to manage ethical dilemmas with serenity, to communicate with empathy, to resist undue pressure, to maintain lucidity in contexts of great complexity, all of this is today as relevant as the technical domain of norms and systems", he pointed out.

The President of the Republic maintained that 'at a time when everything is accelerating, maturity and ethical discernment are conditions of public trust'.

Mr Seguro also argued that the profession of certified accountant 'must have earned public recognition'.

The Head of State pointed out that these professionals "contribute to the firmness of companies and to the credibility of the country vis-à-vis international markets and partners", as well as to the proximity of companies.

"In an economy like ours, composed mostly of small and medium-sized enterprises, the certified accountant is the trusted technical interlocutor that the entrepreneur has at his side when he decides to invest, hire, finance or restructure his business," he said.