Under the Accounting and Financial Reporting Council Ordinance (Cap. 588), an overseas auditor (not including a Mainland China auditor) intending to carry out a public interest entity (PIE) engagement for an overseas entity is required to be recognized by the Accounting and Financial Reporting Council (AFRC) as a recognized PIE auditor. It is an offence for an overseas auditor to undertake (i.e. accept an appointment for carrying out) or carry out any PIE engagement, or to hold out as a recognized PIE auditor, without being recognized as a recognized PIE auditor.

A Mainland China auditor who has been endorsed as being qualified to act as the auditor for a corporation incorporated in Mainland China and listed in Hong Kong under the mutual recognition agreement between Mainland China and Hong Kong SAR, is recognized by the AFRC as a recognized PIE auditor.

The register of recognized PIE auditors is published by the AFRC for the purpose of enabling the public to ascertain whether they are dealing with a PIE auditor recognized by the AFRC, and to ascertain their particulars. Any personal data or other data contained in the register of recognized PIE auditors must not be used for any non-directly related purposes. It is a criminal offence under the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486) to use the personal data in the register of recognized PIE auditors for direct marketing without the data subjects' consent.

Whilst the AFRC has taken all reasonable steps to ensure the accuracy of the entries, it accepts no responsibility for any errors or omissions in the register of recognized PIE auditors.