Basda sets up scheme to cut EMU claims

The British Association of Software Developers (Basda) is to introduce an accreditation scheme after two accountancy software vendors have been accused of misleading the industry over EMU compliancy.

One senior source hit out against software developers JBA and Peoplesoft after they claimed EMU capability for their products, also prompting Basda to set up an EMU accreditation scheme for accounting software. The scheme is not expected to be completed until next year.

A representative for Basda commented: 'The requirements for compliancy were only set out this summer, so it is impossible for any developer to have written them into the software yet. If these claims are being made, we want people to be aware that they need to ask a few more questions about the software.'

Paul Eastwood, business development manager for software developer JBA, agreed that 'there's no such thing as Basda compliance'. But he added: 'We're not claiming to have an EMU-compliant product and we never have done. What we are claiming is that we have systems that are ready for EMU capability.' Eastwood said JBA System 21 version 3 would support all EU requirements.