AUDIT OF TAXATION OF FOREIGN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY OF AGRIBUSINESS ENTERPRISES

Today, in the context of uncertainty and negative consequences for the economy caused by the war in Ukraine, the level of trust in the financial statements of any company by all stakeholders, and primarily investors, is even more important than in the pre-war period. This is because some companies, in an effort to raise additional funds for their continued survival, may manipulate their financial statements, misleading not only domestic but also foreign investors, which may create a negative image of Ukraine's investment opportunities. Moreover, although the securities market in Ukraine is not actually functioning, there is still a practice of M&A (mergers and acquisitions), or the usual acquisition of new business segments by one company. At the same time, in Ukraine, as an agro-industrial country, there are many agribusiness enterprises, which in turn are engaged in foreign economic activity (hereinafter — FEA). For enterprises in this sector of the economy, audit is of paramount importance, since the absence of any distortions in the financial statements, confirmed by the relevant opinion of a leading audit company, may affect a number of decisions of foreign counterparties, starting with the decision to cooperate. The article examines the critical importance of not only the audit of financial statements in the current environment, but also identifies key markers that confirm the importance of auditing a company's tax calculations. The key performance indicators of the leading companies engaged in the field of audit and tax consulting are identified. The volumes of foreign economic activity of enterprises in the field of agriculture in recent years are considered, the relevance of auditing the foreign economic activity of agribusiness enterprises is proved. The key negative factors that have reduced the export-import potential of Ukrainian producers and distributors of agricultural products in recent years are highlighted. The author proves the need not only to conduct an annual audit of financial statements, but also to audit settlements with tax authorities on major taxes and fees. The key weakening of tax control over the collection of taxes and fees by Ukrainian legislation is considered. Attention is focused on the gradual reduction of such tax control relaxations and their alignment with pre-war norms, which in turn returns a number of tax risks associated with the timeliness of accrual, reporting and payment of major taxes. The author highlights the key advantages of audit firms that provide a full range of tax, advisory and audit services.