Annual Report 2013 Governance  Controls and procedures 114 Controls and procedures A. Disclosure controls and procedures B. Management’s Annual Report on internal  control over financial reporting C. Attestation report of the independent  registered public accounting firm Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial  reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also,  projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods  are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate  because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of  compliance with policies or procedures may deteriorate. We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the  Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those  standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain  reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control  over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.  Aegon N.V.’s management is responsible for maintaining  effective internal control over financial reporting, and for  its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over  financial reporting included in the accompanying Management’s  Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting.  Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the company’s  internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We have audited Aegon N.V.’s internal control over financial  reporting as of December 31, 2013, based on criteria established  in ‘Internal Control-Integrated Framework’ issued by the  Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway  Commission (1992 framework) (the COSO criteria). Report of independent registered public accounting firm The Supervisory Board, the Executive Board and  Shareholders of Aegon N.V. The effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting  as of December 31, 2013, was audited by EY, an independent  registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report  included under item C below. In making its assessment management used the  criteria established in ‘Internal Control - Integrated Framework  issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the  Treadway Commission’ (COSO, 1992 framework)  Based on the assessment, management has concluded that,  in all material aspects, the internal control over financial  reporting was effective as at December 31, 2013. They have  reviewed the results of its work with the Audit Committee of  the Supervisory Board. Management assessed the effectiveness of Aegon’s internal  control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2013. As of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report,  Aegon’s management carried out an evaluation, under the  supervision and with the participation of its Chief Executive  Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of  the design and operation of Aegon's disclosure controls and  procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under  the Securities Exchange Act of 1934). Based on this evaluation,  Aegon’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have  concluded that, as of such date, the disclosure controls and  procedures were effective in providing reasonable assurance  regarding the reliability of financial reporting. The directors and management of Aegon are responsible for  establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over  financial reporting. Aegon’s internal control over financial  reporting is a process designed under the supervision of Aegon’s  principal executive and financial officers to provide reasonable  assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the  preparation of its published financial statements. Internal control  over financial reporting includes policies and procedures that: ■ Pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable  detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and  dispositions of the assets of the company; ■ Provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded  as necessary to permit the preparation of financial  statements in accordance with the generally accepted  accounting principles; ■ Provide reasonable assurance that receipts and expenditures  are being made only in accordance with the authorizations of  management and directors of the company; ■ Provide reasonable assurance that unauthorized acquisition,  use or disposition of company assets that could have  a material effect on Aegon’s financial statements would be  prevented or detected in a timely manner.