115 Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control  over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material  weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating  effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and  performing such other procedures as we considered necessary  in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides  a reasonable basis for our opinion. A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process  designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the  reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial  statements for external purposes in accordance with generally  accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control  over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures  that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable  detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and  dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable  assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to  permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with  generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts  and expenditures of the company are being made only in  accordance with authorizations of management and directors  of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding  prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use  or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material  effect on the financial statements. 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  There have been no changes in internal controls over financial  reporting during the period covered by this Annual Report that  have materially affected, or reasonably likely to affect, Aegon’s  internal controls over financial reporting. The Hague, the Netherlands, March 19, 2014 We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the  Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States),  the consolidated financial statements of Aegon N.V., which  comprise the consolidated statements of financial position as of  December 31, 2013 and 2012, the related consolidated income  statements, statements of comprehensive income, statements  of changes in equity, and cash flow statements for each of  the three years in the period ended December 31, 2013 of  Aegon N.V., and our report dated March 19, 2014 expressed an  unqualified opinion thereon. In our opinion, Aegon N.V. maintained, in all material respects,  effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2013, based on the COSO criteria. are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate  because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of  compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. D. Changes in internal controls over  financial reporting Ernst & Young Accountants LLP