This chapter is about conceptual frameworks in public sector accounting,
particularly addressing the IPSAS conceptual framework. While taking this
as a reference, the chapter also offers brief views on selected national
frameworks from a group of European countries–namely the UK, Finland,
Austria, Germany and Portugal–, as illustrative examples of how conceptual
frameworks can approximate or diverge from that of IPSASB.
The explanations enable an understanding of the role of a conceptual
framework underlying public sector accounting standards, as well as the
main issues normally included in it.