GAPSME: General Accounting Principles For Small And Medium Enterprises

The EU Single Accounting Directive 2013/34/EU, which repealed the 4th and 7th Accounting Directives on Individual and Consolidated Accounts, introduced a simplified procedure for financial statement reporting. This Directive was transposed into Maltese law via legal notice 289 of 2015 in virtue of the ministerial powers conferred on the Minister of Finance in virtue of the Accountancy Professions Act (Chap. 281 of the Laws of Malta).

The aim of the Directive is to prescribe the general accounting principles, and simplify the procedure in relation to the preparation of statutory financial statements for qualifying micro, small and medium entities. GAPSME is now the default accounting framework for SMEs in relation to financial reporting periods starting on or after 1 January 2016, unless a resolution is passed by the Board of Directors to the effect that IFRSs (or the "International Financial Reporting Standards" as adopted by the EU) are to be used. GAPSME superseded