THE HEIGHTENED awareness of audit risks among the biggest accounting firms was illustrated in the last month as pair major European companies--Ahold and Royal Dutch/Shell--reported annual proceeds after significant delays.

THE HEIGHTENED awareness of audit risks among the biggest accounting firms was illustrated in the last month as pair major European companies--Ahold and Royal Dutch/Shell--reported annual proceeds after significant delays.

Royal Dutch/Shell assign places to the Anglo-Dutch oil group, has been embroiled in regulatory probes surrounding restatements of its oil husbands and was forced by its auditors to delay publishing its annual report. The eventual publication of the report this month was accompanied on a statement that "rebuilding credibility" and "regaining trust" would be key-note priorities going forward.

Both locates of figures, as well as 2001 snare ...