An increasing number of Polish companies are expanding their business into the Czech market through subsidiaries or branch offices. As activities in the Czech Republic grow, many financial managers find themselves needing to assess whether the Czech entity is subject to a mandatory statutory audit and what implications this has for local accounting as well as group reporting.
In practice, Czech companies are often part of international capital groups, which means that local audit requirements directly affect not only the Czech financial statements but also consolidation, reporting and cooperation with the group auditor abroad.
Below we summarize the key regulatory aspects and practical recommendations that foreign companies operating in the Czech Republic should take into account.
An audit was mandatory if the company met at least two of the following three conditions for two consecutive accounting periods:
A legislative amendment significantly simplified the assessment – only medium sized and large accounting entities are subject to mandatory audits. In practice, this means that some smaller Czech subsidiaries may no longer require an audit, even if they were audited in the past.
For comparison: in Poland, the audit requirement is always assessed based on the figures from the previous accounting period, which is important when planning group processes.
| Criterion | Poland | Czechia until 31 Dec 2025 |
| Total assets | above 3.125 million EUR | above 1.64 million EUR (40 million CZK) |
| Net revenues | above 6.25 million EUR | above 3.3 million EUR (80 million CZK) |
| Average number of employees | above 50 | above 50 |
| Mandatory audit rule | audit required after meeting at least 2 of 3 criteria | audit required after meeting at least 2 of 3 criteria |
The statutory audit requirement also applies to selected types of entities, regardless of quantitative thresholds, in particular:
As a result, many Polish groups find that the audit of a Czech entity is required for regulatory or group purposes.
Although audits in both countries derive from EU legislation and International Standards on Auditing (ISA), there are important practical differences that affect the preparation of accounting data and the audit process.
Czech companies prepare financial statements primarily under Czech Accounting Standards (CAS). For Polish owners this means the need to:
The audit of a Czech company must be performed by an auditor licensed in the Czech Republic and registered with the Chamber of Auditors of the Czech Republic. Cooperation with a group auditor in Poland is common, but responsibility for the local audit remains with the Czech auditor.
Czech companies prepare their financial statements under CAS, which differs in many areas from Polish accounting law and IFRS. Differences include, among others:
| Area | Poland | Czech Republic | What it means for Polish companies |
| Accounting standards | Accounting Act / IFRS | Accounting Act / IFRS under specific conditions | Need to maintain local accounting + group reporting |
| Publication of statements | KRS / RDF | Commercial Register (Collection of Deeds) | Different deadlines and formal requirements |
| Auditor | Auditor registered with PANA | Auditor registered with KAČR | Need to use a local auditor |
| Differences (Czech GAAP vs PL/IFRS) | Lower degree of formality | Significant differences | Need for consolidation adjustments |
In practice, Czech subsidiaries often prepare additional reporting packages for the head office, including:
A well designed process significantly:
Polish companies operating in the Czech Republic should pay special attention to the following areas:
Polish companies operating in the Czech Republic often face the challenge of reconciling local regulatory requirements with the expectations of their headquarters. Support typically includes:
With extensive experience working with international capital groups, we help ensure consistent financial reporting, streamline audit processes and reduce regulatory risks.
If a Polish company owns a subsidiary or branch in the Czech Republic – or is planning to enter the Czech market – it is advisable to prepare early for the mandatory audit and financial reporting requirements.