Judgment of the Court (Fifth Chamber) of 24 March 2021.#Proceedings brought by A.#Reference for a preliminary ruling – Company law – Directive 2006/43/EC – Statutory audit of annual and consolidated accounts – Article 22a(1)(a) – Recruitment of a statutory auditor by an audited entity – Waiting period – Prohibition on taking up a key management post in the audited entity – Infringement – Gravity and duration of the infringement – Expression ‘taking up a post’ – Scope – Conclusion of an employment contract with the audited entity – Independence of statutory auditors