(3)The Commission has carried out a preliminary assessment of audit regulation in relevant third countries with the assistance of the European Group of Auditors’ Oversight Bodies (EGAOB). However, the assessments have not allowed final equivalence decisions to be taken but have provided an initial view of the state of audit regulation in the third countries concerned. Some third countries have a system of public oversight in place, although for the time being the information about the systems is not sufficient for final equivalence decisions to be taken. Others do not have such systems of public oversight yet but have in place an audit regulatory framework offering a perspective of moving towards such system.