International financial reporting standards adoption in the European Union and earnings conservatism: a review of empirical research

The move towards the widespread adoption of international financial reporting standards (IFRS) opened the field for extensive research into the consequences of the voluntary and mandatory IFRS adoption. This paper attempts to provide a broad picture regarding these consequences in the context of the European Union by reviewing the extant empirical literature on earnings conservatism. The review reveals that mixed evidence exists regarding the effect of IFRS adoption, whether voluntary or mandatory, on earnings conservatism. The reasons behind these mixed results are likely multi-factorial but may include a greater flexibility of IFRS relative to domestic generally accepted accounting principles. In doing so, this study provides opportunities for future research.