IFAC Senior Technical Manager and Head of the Professional Accountants in Business team, Stathis Gould, was invited to the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)'s Global Virtual Conference to address sustainability and accountancy. More than 300 people participated in Mr. Gould's session.

Over 50 senior audit professionals from 23 international networks of accounting firms met today to contribute their perspectives on proposed revisions to auditor reporting. The symposium, organized by the Forum of Firms, assembled a group of experts to discuss the proposals outlined in the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB)’s public consultation, Invitation to Comment: Improving the Auditor’s Report (ITC).

Participants representing various jurisdictions and network sizes lent a variety of perspectives to the lively debate on the ITC proposals. “The symposium gave us the opportunity to collectively gain a deeper understanding of the proposals and consider the practical implications for implementation and related consequences for audit quality. The interactions raised awareness while also providing a unique opportunity for direct practitioner interaction with the IAASB on a topic that runs to the core of the auditing profession,” said David Maxwell, chair of the Transnational Auditors Committee.

Each panel discussion commenced with an overview of the existing landscape, overall summary of the relevant ITC proposals, and early indicative feedback collected by the IAASB to date. The first of two panels, Auditor Commentary—Moving Beyond Boilerplate, then explored the proposal to add a section to the standard auditor’s report on auditor commentary. The second panel, Going Concern and Other Information—Making Auditors’ Implicit Messages Explicit, focused on the call from investors to provide more information about the auditor’s responsibilities. The symposium concluded with an opportunity for participants to give their reactions to the remainder of the ITC’s proposals and the likelihood they will achieve the goal of making financial statement users understand more about the audit.

"The auditor’s report is a critical outcome from the audit, playing an important role in public confidence in audited financial statements. The Forum of Firms welcomes open discussion and debate that will contribute to enhanced audit quality,” said Robert Dohrer, chair, Forum of Firms. “It is essential that all audit firms be engaged in the global debate on audit quality so that we can consider how we, as practitioners, can better contribute to its advancement.”

About the Forum of Firms
The Forum of Firms is an association of networks of international accounting firms that perform transnational audits. Members of the Forum have committed to adhere to and promote the consistent application of high-quality audit practices worldwide, including the use of International Standards on Auditing, and the maintenance of appropriate quality control standards in accordance with International Standards on Quality Control issued by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board. Through their organizations, members also conduct globally coordinated internal quality assurance reviews on a regular basis and have policies and methodologies that conform to the Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants. The Transnational Auditors Committee is the Executive Committee of the Forum of Firms and a committee of the International Federation of Accountants.

About IFAC
IFAC is the global organization for the accountancy profession, dedicated to serving the public interest by strengthening the profession and contributing to the development of strong international economies. It is comprised of 167 members and associates in 127 countries and jurisdictions, representing approximately 2.5 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

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In This Issue:

1. IAASB Meeting Highlights
2. Approval of Exposure Draft of Proposed International Standard on Auditing (ISA) 720 (Revised)Auditor Reporting Invitation to Comment (ITC)—Comment Period
3. Drawing to a Close
4. IAASB Continues to Address Assurance Needs of Smaller Entities; Issues Revised Standard on Review Engagements

1. IAASB Meeting Highlights

The most recent IAASB meeting was held September 17–21, 2012, in New York, USA.

In addition to the projects discussed in this eNews, the IAASB deliberated issues relating to the following:

• Approval of a new project to consider the audit implications of financial statement disclosures
• The development of an audit quality framework (the Framework), Audit Quality: An International Framework
• Proposed International Standard on Assurance Engagements (ISAE) 3000 (Revised), Assurance Engagements Other than Audits or Reviews of Historical Financial Information
• Preliminary findings and the planned timetable of Phase 2 of the ISA Implementation Monitoring project relating to the clarified International Standards on Auditing (ISAs)
• The IAASB’s ongoing liaison with the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB)
• The development of a Staff Question & Answer publication addressing the proportionate application of International Standard on Quality Control (ISQC) 1, Quality Control for Firms that Perform Audits and Reviews of Financial Statements, and Other Assurance and Related Service Engagements 

The IAASB will meet in New York, USA, December 10–14, 2012. As a reminder, all meeting agenda materials are publicly available and posted on the IAASB's website in advance of IAASB meetings. In addition, meeting highlights, a summary podcast, and complete audio recordings are posted after the meetings. Visit the IAASB Meetings page.

2. Approval of Exposure Draft of Proposed International Standard on Auditing (ISA) 720 (Revised)

The IAASB approved for exposure proposed ISA 720 (Revised), The Auditor’s Responsibilities Relating to Other Information in Documents Containing or Accompanying Audited Financial Statements and the Auditor’s Report Thereon. The proposed standard broadens and clarifies the scope of documents to be addressed by the auditor, enhances the auditor’s work effort, and introduces reporting requirements.

The Exposure Draft will be released by the end of October 2012. Comments will be requested by February 28, 2013.

3. Auditor Reporting Invitation to Comment (ITC)—Comment Period Drawing to a Close

In support of its work to enhance, on a global basis, the communicative value of the auditor’s report on financial statements, in June 2012 the IAASB issued Invitation to Comment (ITC): Improving the Auditor’s Report. The ITC sets out the indicative direction of the board’s future standard-setting proposals to improve how and what auditors report in accordance with the International Standards on Auditing (ISAs). Interested stakeholders have the opportunity to submit a formal response to the ITC through October 8, 2012 via this link.

At its most recent meeting, the IAASB received an update on discussions held at its North American and European Auditor Reporting Roundtables and other outreach activities to date; and discussed, on a preliminary basis, the scope and potential structure of the ISAs to be revised as part of its Auditor Reporting project. The IAASB will consider responses received on the ITC, as well as feedback from its Asia Pacific Roundtable and other outreach activities, at its December 2012 meeting. The IAASB’s current timetable anticipates approval of an Exposure Draft on revised auditor reporting standards in June 2013. To follow this project, visit the IAASB’s Auditor Reporting page. 

4. IAASB Continues to Address Assurance Needs of Smaller Entities; Issues Revised Standard on Review Engagements

The IAASB has released International Standard on Review Engagements (ISRE) 2400 (Revised), Engagements to Review Historical Financial Statements. ISRE 2400 (Revised) follows the release earlier in 2012 of International Standard on Related Services (ISRS) 4410 (Revised), Compilation Engagements, a standard also addressing services of particular relevance to small- and medium-sized entities (SMEs).

Review engagements are of particular relevance for entities that are not required, or do not elect, to have an audit, but wish to enhance the credibility of, and confidence in, their unaudited financial statements among their users through practitioner involvement. ISRE 2400 (Revised) enhances both the value and performance of review engagements. Through strengthened requirements and additional guidance, it helps ensure there is sufficient appropriate evidential support for the practitioner’s conclusion on the financial statements and further promotes high-quality engagements. The revised standard is effective for reviews of financial statements for periods ending on or after December 31, 2013. An At a Glance publication provides an overview of the revised standard.

At the annual IFAC SMP Forum, delegates convene to learn, debate, and collaborate on a global stage regarding the unique opportunities and challenges facing SMPs and their small- and medium-sized entity (SME) clients. This year’s event attracted over 175 delegates from 33 professional accountancy organizations in 30 countries. 

Program is subject to change. 

The forum is made possible through the generous support of our sponsors: 

Gold Sponsor:

• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)  

Silver Sponsors:

• Corpul Expertilor Contabili si Contabililor Autorizati din Romania (CECCAR)
• Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (Hong Kong Institute of CPAs)
• Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)

Presentation by Paul Thompson, IFAC Deputy Director, SME & SMP Affairs at the Central and South East Europe Regional Forum for Professional Accountancy Organizations co-hosted with the World Bank in Vienna on June 1, 2012. 

Presentation by Sylvia Tsen, Director, Quality and Member Relations, IFAC at the Central and South East Europe Regional Forum for Professional Accountancy Organizations co-hosted with the World Bank in Vienna on June 1, 2012. 

Presentation by Göran Tidström, IFAC president, at the REPARIS Central and South East Europe Regional Forum for Professional Accountancy Organizations co-hosted with the World Bank in Vienna on June 1, 2012.

The PAIB Committee submitted this comment letter to the Institute of Management Accountants on its proposed Conceptual Framework for Managerial Costing. Recommendations include breaking up the document to address concerns regarding length, application of the principles to all organizations, conflicting definitions of accuracy, and a misrepresented diagram from the PAIB Committee's guidance on costing (

Presentation given by SMP Committee Chair Giancarlo Attolini at the IFAC Board Meeting in September 2012 on the current and upcoming activities of the IFAC SMP Committee in each of its strategic focus areas: Input to Standard-Setting, Input to Public Policy and Regulation, Adoption and Implementation, and Development and Quality.