Ladies and gentlemen, I'm honored to be here in Osaka speaking to you on the 50th anniversary of the CAPA conference. Much has happened at CAPA since the meeting of the First Far East Conference of Accountants half a century ago in the Philippines, attended by your twelve founding members. Today, CAPA is a large and very important regional accountancy organization, and its geographical area encompasses half the globe. As many of you know, IFAC is celebrating an anniversary this year too: our 30th. The progress that IFAC and the accountancy profession have been able to achieve was made possible through the cooperation of members and regional accountancy organizations such as CAPA.

Good morning ladies and gentleman. It is a pleasure to be here in Osaka, this beautiful city that was once the imperial capital of Japan. I would like to thank his Imperial Highness Crown Prince Naruhito for welcoming us all to his country.

Osaka is a very fitting place to host the 17th conference of the Confederation of Asian and Pacific Accountants. In ancient times, this city served as the gateway to Japan for foreign visitors and envoys from across Asia. Today, Osaka once again welcomes visitors from across the Asia-Pacific region with open arms.

CAPA continues to play an integral role in the development of the accountancy profession in this region, which is in the midst of one of the greatest economic expansions in human history. Now more than ever, professional accountants in this region are essential to the long-term sustainability of this growth through their work within business and industry, in public practice, and in government service. As the organization for the profession in this region, CAPA must continue to support high quality work by all members of the profession, as it has done for so long.

New requirements designed to enhance the quality of audits of group financial statements were released today by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB), an independent standard-setting board under the auspices of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). International Standard on Auditing (ISA) 600 (Revised and Redrafted), Special Considerations - The Audit of Group Financial Statement (Including the Work of Component Auditors), assists the group engagement partner in taking responsibility for the direction, supervision and performance of the group audit and the issue of an auditor's report that is appropriate in the circumstances.

To assist the group engagement team to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence on which to base the group audit opinion, the ISA specifies the types of work that the group engagement team, or component auditors on its behalf, should perform on the financial information of significant components. It also requires the group engagement team to be appropriately involved in the work that component auditors perform. The ISA is effective for audits of financial periods commencing on or after December 15, 2009. This date is consistent with the effective date for all the standards being redrafted under the IAASB's Clarity project.

The ISA, which was developed over a period of five years, was influenced by the responses to three exposure drafts. The new ISA takes account of regulatory and standard-setting developments around the world, the interests of small entities, and the expectations of various stakeholders, including those represented on the IAASB Consultative Advisory Group.

John Kellas, Chairman of the IAASB, explains: "The new standard clearly explains the responsibility of the group engagement partner to direct and control the group audit, even when component auditors may be involved. It responds to public expectations for continuous improvement in auditing standards. The project has not been an easy one, but we are confident that the standard will enhance current practice and promote consistency worldwide."

ISA 600 (Revised and Redrafted) can be downloaded free-of-charge from the IFAC online bookstore at http://www.ifac.org/store.

About the IAASB and IFAC

The objective of the IAASB is to serve the public interest by setting high quality auditing and assurance standards and by facilitating the convergence of international and national standards, thereby enhancing the quality and uniformity of practice throughout the world and strengthening public confidence in the global auditing and assurance profession. The Public Interest Oversight Board oversees the activities of the IAASB and, as one element of that oversight, establishes its due process and working procedures. Founded in 1977, 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.

IFAC is comprised of 155 members and associates in 118 countries, representing more than 2.5 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry and commerce. In addition to setting international auditing and assurance standards through the IAASB, IFAC, through its independent standard-setting boards, sets international ethics, education, and public sector accounting standards. It also issues guidance to encourage high quality performance by professional accountants in business. Further information about IAASB may be obtained from its website: http://www.iaasb.org.

The PIOB website address is http://www.ipiob.org.

The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB), an independent standard-setting board under the auspices of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), has determined that its complete set of clarified International Standards on Auditing (ISAs) will be effective for audits of financial statements for periods beginning on or after December 15, 2009. In announcing the definitive date, the IAASB hopes to eliminate uncertainty about when the new standards will apply. This will allow standard setters, regulators and auditors to plan for the adoption and implementation of the standards.

“In setting the date, we have balanced the desire to benefit from improvements in the standards as soon as practicable against the necessity for implementation to be effective. The date may seem a long way off, but there is much to be done to ensure that implementation is smooth. This is clearly understood by auditors and others who have asked us to allow a reasonable time for implementation. We have listened to their concerns and have done so,” explains John Kellas, IAASB Chairman. Mr. Kellas continued, “We are making the final standards available as soon as they have been approved by IAASB and, in respect of appropriate due process, by the Public Interest Oversight Board. This is intended to allow all concerned to take such steps as are necessary for effective implementation, including national adoption, translation, amendment of manuals and processes and training. I urge everyone to take advantage of the time available for implementation to ensure that it is a success.”

The IAASB continues to advance the clarification of its auditing standards and is on track to complete its Clarity project by the end of 2008 as planned. For more information about the IAASB’s Clarity project and its timetable, see the October 2007 communiqué, Effective Date for IAASB’s Clarified International Standards on Auditing, which is posted on the IAASB website.

About the IAASB and IFAC The objective of the IAASB is to serve the public interest by setting high quality auditing and assurance standards and by facilitating the convergence of international and national standards, thereby enhancing the quality and uniformity of practice throughout the world and strengthening public confidence in the global auditing and assurance profession. The Public Interest Oversight Board oversees the activities of the IAASB and, as one element of that oversight, establishes its due process and working procedures.

Founded in 1977, 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. IFAC is comprised of 155 members and associates in 118 countries, representing more than 2.5 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry and commerce. In addition to setting international auditing and assurance standards through the IAASB, IFAC, through its independent standard-setting boards, sets international ethics, education, and public sector accounting standards. It also issues guidance to encourage high quality performance by professional accountants in business. Further information about IAASB may be obtained from its website: http://www.iaasb.org. The PIOB website address is http://www.ipiob.org.

The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB), an independent standard-setting board under the auspices of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), is seeking comments on its proposed future strategy as a basis for its work program. The consultation paper proposes that the IAASB’s future strategy focus on:

• Contributing to the effective operation of the world’s capital markets;
• Assisting with the implementation of standards; and
• Addressing the needs of small- and medium-sized enterprises.

“The proposed strategy, developed after initial consultations, confirms the IAASB’s public interest role by responding to the needs of users of financial information by promoting quality in auditors’ work,” says IAASB Chairman John Kellas. “Recognizing that the effective operation of the world’s capital markets remains a matter of high public interest, the IAASB intends to continue to make auditing standards its first priority. A significant theme arising from the initial consultations has been the need to encourage effective implementation of the International Standards on Auditing. The IAASB recognizes the importance of this and is proposing not to issue further new auditing standards until auditors have had two years experience in applying the standards redrafted under the Clarity project, which is due for completion in late 2008.”

Over the last few years, the focus of the IAASB has been on the development of high quality International Standards on Auditing (ISAs) that are accepted globally and that facilitate convergence. This included significant revisions to the audit approach to risk assessment, together with responses to accounting developments such as the greater use of fair values in financial reporting, and enhanced audit requirements for group audits and using the work of experts. Furthermore, efforts to enhance the consistent application of the standards around the world gave rise to a project to improve the clarity of ISAs.

The IAASB plans to complete the Clarity and other current projects by the end of 2008. To prepare for the period after 2008, the IAASB embarked on an extensive consultation process to obtain the widest possible input into determining its future strategy and to gauge the needs and concerns of the public and the profession. This consultation paper forms the final stage of the consultation process. It presents the proposed strategy for 2009 – 2011, possible actions to implement the proposed strategy, and the basis for those actions. The proposed strategy and possible actions, amended in the light of comments received, will form the basis for the IAASB’s work program for 2009 – 2011.

How to Comment
Comments on the consultation paper are requested by November 30, 2007. The consultation paper may be viewed by going to http://www.ifac.org/eds. Comments should be submitted by email to EDComments@ifac.org. They may also be faxed to IAASB ED Comments at +1-212-286-9570 or mailed to IAASB ED Comments at 545 Fifth Avenue, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10017, USA. All comments will be considered a matter of public record and will ultimately be posted on the IFAC website.

About the IAASB and IFAC
The objective of the IAASB is to serve the public interest by setting high quality auditing and assurance standards and by facilitating the convergence of international and national standards, thereby enhancing the quality and uniformity of practice throughout the world and strengthening public confidence in the global auditing and assurance profession. The Public Interest Oversight Board oversees the activities of the IAASB and, as one element of that oversight, establishes its due process and working procedures.

Founded in 1977, 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. IFAC is comprised of 155 members and associates in 118 countries, representing more than 2.5 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry and commerce. In addition to setting international auditing and assurance standards through the IAASB, IFAC, through its independent standard-setting boards, sets international ethics, education, and public sector accounting standards. It also issues guidance to encourage high quality performance by professional accountants in business.

Further information about IAASB may be obtained from its website: http://www.iaasb.org. The PIOB website address is http://www.ipiob.org.

Thank-you Mr. Chairman and good morning ladies and gentlemen.
 
Before I start I would just like to say what a privilege and a pleasure it is for me to be able to participate on this panel. I wish to share with you today some of the significant points that IFAC is likely to make in its comment letter to the IASB. While the letter is still a draft many points have already crystallized during the process of its development. And I will outline some of the key findings from a micro-entity financial reporting research project.

Let me frame my comments with some observations. In the recent past, issues impacting small- and medium-sized entities (SMEs) and small-and medium-sized practices (SMPs) have rose to the top of the agenda - of the regulators, professional accountancy bodies, standard setters, and IFAC. The EU simplification initiative is testimony to this - as is the IASB's project to develop an SME accounting standard. It seems the main spur for this emphasis on SME/SMP is concern over regulatory overload, overload that is stifling the ability of small business to innovate, grow and compete. This regulation, including standards of accounting, auditing, and ethics, was often tailored to suit large business. It's no surprise it is ill fitting for small business. The standards sometimes lack relevance to SME/SMP. And SME/SMP often lack the capacity to efficiently implement and comply with them.

The International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB), an independent standard-setting board within the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), is seeking comments on an exposure draft (ED) developed as part of its project to enhance the clarity and usability of its International Public Sector Accounting Standard (IPSAS) that addresses accounting for fluctuations in exchange rates. ED 33, Amendments to IPSAS 4, The Effects of Changes in Foreign Exchange Rates, proposes updates to IPSAS 4 to reflect, as appropriate for the public sector, the latest revisions to the corresponding International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). Key proposals in ED 33 reflect amendments made by the IASB to International Accounting Standard 21, The Effects of Changes in Foreign Exchange Rates.

"Converging IPSASs with IFRSs, where appropriate for the public sector, is one of the key objectives of our standards development program," states Mike Hathorn, Chair of the IPSASB. "This exposure draft proposes a number of changes to IPSAS 4, most notably, to clarify and amend the existing guidance for situations where the public sector entity has an interest in a foreign operation."

How to Comment
Comments on the ED are requested by December 31, 2007. The ED may be viewed by going to http://www.ifac.org/EDs. Comments may be submitted by email to publicsectorpubs@ifac.org. They can also be faxed to the attention of the IPSASB Technical Director at +1 (416) 977-8585, or mailed to the IPSASB Technical Director at 277 Wellington Street West, 6th Floor, Toronto, Ontario M5V 3H2, Canada. All comments will be considered a matter of public record and will ultimately be posted on the IFAC website.

Founded in 1977, 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. IFAC is comprised of 155 members and associates in 118 countries, representing more than 2.5 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry and commerce. In addition to setting international public sector financial reporting standards through the IPSASB, IFAC, through its independent standard-setting boards, sets ethics, auditing and assurance, and education standards. It also issues guidance to encourage high-quality performance by professional accountants in business.

The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) is requesting proposals for the development of a practice management guide for use by small and medium accounting practices (SMPs). The purpose of the guide will be to assist SMPs in managing their practices in an efficient, profitable and professional manner. It is intended that the guide will cover a range of topics, such as strategic planning, management structure, client relationships, managing finances and risk, partnership issues, networking, and succession planning.

“The development of this practice management guide is part of the SMP Committee’s plan to provide a series of explanatory guides aimed at helping SMPs to comply efficiently with international standards and to deliver high quality, cost-effective services,” states Sylvie Voghel, Chair of the IFAC SMP Committee. The guide will be made available to all IFAC member bodies at no charge for end use by practitioners, in particular, those managing the practice.

The specifications for the Request for Proposal: Development of a Practice Management Guide for Use by Small and Medium Practices are available on the IFAC website at http://web.ifac.org/download/Practice_Management_Guide_RFP.pdf. The deadline for submitting proposals is 12:00 pm (EDT), Friday, October 19, 2007. Submissions can be emailed to Paul Thompson, Senior Technical Manager of the SMP Committee, at paulthompson@ifac.org.

Founded in 1977, 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. IFAC is comprised of 155 members and associates in 118 countries, representing more than 2.5 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry and commerce. The organization, through its independent standard-setting boards, sets international ethics, auditing and assurance, education, and public sector accounting standards. It also issues guidance to encourage high quality performance by professional accountants in business and those working in small and medium practices.

One of the best defenses against business failure and an important driver of business performance is strong internal control. This is true for organizations globally. Recognizing this, the Professional Accountants in Business (PAIB) Committee of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) has released a new publication on Internal Control from a Risk-Based Perspective.

This information paper features interviews conducted by Robert Bruce, a leading financial journalist, with 10 senior-level professional accountants in business on their experiences and views on establishing effective internal control systems. The interviews help to demonstrate the importance of a risk-based approach to internal control in helping an organization manage its overall risk. They also shed light on the nature of risk in organizations, how to establish an internal control system focused on driving performance and supporting the delivery of strategic objectives, and success stories that can help organizations in considering improvements to their approach.

"The flood of rules and requirements that resulted from past corporate failures, and the often time-consuming and costly compliance efforts, make us easily forget that the right kind of internal controls - focused on the real risks of an organization - actually can save time, money and ensure creation and maintenance of value," emphasizes Edward Chow, Chair of the PAIB Committee.

"These interviews will help professional accountants in business and their organizations to benchmark their own organizations' internal control efforts and philosophy." This interview-based information paper is part of a larger PAIB Committee project on internal control. In 2006, the committee published an overview paper, Internal Controls - A Review of Current Developments, which reviewed current developments and some of the latest thinking in the area of internal control.

These two publications form the groundwork for the development of principles-based good practice guidance on internal control, which the PAIB Committee plans to issue in 2008. Internal Control from a Risk-Based Perspective can be downloaded free-of-charge from the IFAC online bookstore at http://www.ifac.org/store. A range of other publications on topics of interest to professional accountants in business is also available from the IFAC bookstore.

Founded in 1977, 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. IFAC is comprised of 155 members and associates in 118 countries, representing more than 2.5 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry and commerce. The organization, through its independent standard-setting boards, sets international ethics, auditing and assurance, education, and public sector accounting standards. Through its Professional Accountants in Business Committee, IFAC issues guidance to encourage high quality performance by professional accountants in business.

To enhance the quality and consistency of audits, the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB), an independent standard-setting board under the auspices of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), is continuing to advance its project to clarify its international standards. At its July 2007 meeting in Warsaw, Poland, the IAASB approved exposure drafts of nine proposed standards, including each of its international quality control and auditor reporting standards. These have all been redrafted in accordance with the IAASB's new drafting conventions designed to improve the clarity of its pronouncements.

Further information about each exposure draft and the changes proposed therein is provided in the explanatory memorandum at the beginning of the exposure drafts. The exposure drafts may be viewed by going to http://www.ifac.org/EDs.

Quality Control Exposure Drafts
The IAASB has issued proposed International Standard on Quality Control (ISQC) 1 (Redrafted), Quality Control for Firms that Perform Audits and Reviews of Financial Statements, and Other Assurance and Related Services Engagements, along with proposed International Standard on Auditing (ISA) 220 (Redrafted), Quality Control for an Audit of Financial Statements.

"Together, these standards deal with important quality control considerations at both the firm and engagement levels. The standards are closely linked, and therefore, implementing clarity revisions at the same time makes sense to ensure consistency between them," explains John Kellas, IAASB Chairman.

Auditor Reporting Exposure Drafts
The IAASB has also addressed the clarification of its auditor reporting standards. The proposed clarified auditor reporting standards comprise:

• ISA 700 (Redrafted), The Independent Auditor's Report on General Purpose Financial Statements;
• ISA 705 (Revised and Redrafted), Modifications to the Opinion in the Independent Auditor's Report;
• ISA 706 (Revised and Redrafted), Emphasis of Matter Paragraphs and Other Matter(s) Paragraphs in the Independent Auditor's Report;
• ISA 800 (Revised and Redrafted), Special Considerations - Audits of Special Purpose Financial Statements and Specific Elements, Accounts or Items of a Financial Statement; and
• ISA 805 (Revised and Redrafted), Engagements to Report on Summary Financial Statements.

Proposed ISA 700 (Redrafted) redrafts a standard that was revised in 2004. The other reporting standards have been fully revised to update them and make them consistent with ISA 700. Those revisions were completed and approved by the IAASB in 2006, and the standards are now being issued for comment only on their redrafting into the new clarity conventions. Other

Proposed Standards
In addition, the IAASB has issued exposure drafts of proposed ISA 510 (Redrafted), Initial Audit Engagements - Opening Balances, and proposed ISA 530 (Redrafted), Audit Sampling.

Progress of the Clarity Project
All of the proposed standards have been drafted in accordance with the IAASB's new drafting conventions. These conventions include the specification of an objective within each standard and separate sections for requirements and application and other material.

The IAASB has now approved five final ISAs drafted in accordance with the new conventions and, including the eight just released, 23 exposure drafts of ISAs. The IAASB expects to issue a further seven exposure drafts this year, and to complete all 35 ISAs as final standards by the end of 2008.

Further information on the Clarity project may be obtained from the IAASB Clarity Status Report.

How to Comment
Recognizing the number of exposure drafts being issued, the IAASB has staggered the deadlines for comments:

• Comments on the exposure drafts of proposed ISA 510 (Redrafted) and ISA 530 (Redrafted) are requested by October 31, 2007.
• Comments on the exposure drafts of proposed ISA 700 (Redrafted), ISA 705 (Revised and Redrafted), ISA 706 (Revised and Redrafted), ISA 800 (Revised and Redrafted) and ISA 805 (Revised and Redrafted) are requested by November 30, 2007.
• Comments on the exposure drafts of proposed ISQC 1 (Redrafted) and ISA 220 (Redrafted) are requested by December 31, 2007.

Comments should be submitted by email to EDComments@ifac.org. They may also be faxed to IAASB ED Comments, at +1-212-286-9570 or mailed to IAASB ED Comments at 545 Fifth Avenue, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10017, USA. All comments will be considered a matter of public record and will ultimately be posted on the IFAC website.

About the IAASB and IFAC
The objective of the IAASB is to serve the public interest by setting high quality auditing and assurance standards and by facilitating the convergence of international and national standards, thereby enhancing the quality and uniformity of practice throughout the world and strengthening public confidence in the global auditing and assurance profession. The Public Interest Oversight Board oversees the activities of the IAASB and, as one element of that oversight, establishes its due process and working procedures.

Founded in 1977, 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. IFAC is comprised of 155 members and associates in 118 countries, representing more than 2.5 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry and commerce. In addition to setting international auditing and assurance standards through the IAASB, IFAC, through its independent standard-setting boards, sets international ethics, education, and public sector accounting standards. It also issues guidance to encourage high quality performance by professional accountants in business.

Further information about IAASB may be obtained from its website: http://www.iaasb.org. The PIOB website address is http://www.ipiob.org.