¿Cómo explicar el no cumplimiento de las empresas con los requerimientos de información en relación a los arrendamientos operativos?

Compliance is one of the big challenges in the International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) implementation process. Additionally, the current debate on the operating leases accounting treatment is more in force than ever due to the recent support shown by the European Commission to companies lobbying against the proposal. In this article, we analyse and compare the level and evolution of compliance of UK and Spanish companies regarding mandated operating lease disclosures for the period of 2005–2011. Additionally, we look for determinants of compliance. Our results show a significant higher level of disclosure for UK compared with Spain and a positive trend in both countries towards full compliance. As for the determinants of compliance, media coverage and industry are found to be significant. The transparency needed in the markets demands high quality financial reporting and compliance commitment and, in this sense, we seem to be on the right track.