Audit of Group Financial Statements
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Proposed Explanatory Memorandum – Audit of Group Financial Statements IAASB Main Agenda (December 2003) Page 2003· Extract from the Proposed Minutes of the November 6-7, 2003 CAG Meeting13. Group AuditsMs Prinsloo provided an overview of the project. The Task force intends submitting a proposed revised ISA 600, “The Work of Related Auditors and Other Auditors in an Audit of Group Financial Statements” and a proposed IAPS on “The Audit of Group Financial Statements” for approval as exposure drafts at the December 2003 IAASB meeting. The proposed revised ISA 600 provides for both sole responsibility and division of responsibility, and the proposed IAPS applies where the group auditor takes sole responsibility. Mr Van Der Plaats was not in favor of retaining division of responsibility. He noted that it was not a strong feature of an international board to include national practices, which are not widely applied, in its standards. According to Mr Van Der Plaats, discussions with the PCAOB have indicated that registration of non-US audit firms may not be necessary if the group auditor does not divide responsibility with the other auditor. He also referred to proposed new documentation requirements to be issued by the PCAOB that will impact the audit of group financial statements. He asked that the proposed pronouncements deal with the auditor’s access to the other auditor’s and related auditor’s working papers. Mr Fogarty responded that reference to the other auditor in the auditor’s report (i.e. division of responsibility) forces the issue in the public view, e.g. when filing the auditor’s report with the SEC, the SEC is made aware of the fact and is in a position to ask the necessary questions. Division of responsibility overcomes access to information and timing issues, e.g. in the case of joint ventures or associated companies where the group auditor may not have access to information, it enables the group auditor to divide responsibility with those responsible for reporting on the component’s financial statements. Division of responsibility also addresses the issue of liability, as it places accountability on those responsible for performing the work. Mr Roussey noted that there is a public interest perspective to the matter, i.e. if division of responsibility is not permitted, the group auditor will have to perform work on at least 80% of the group. He referred to the Philippines, where the group auditor may not have access to the working papers of the other auditors and, as a result, divide responsibility with such auditors. Mr Carchrae was of the view that it sets the wrong precedent to allow for national law and standards in international standards; however, based on the discussion, he was wondering whether division of responsibility should be allowed in certain specified circumstances. Mr Mertin responded that in reality it is not possible for international standards in all circumstances to allow only one practice. This may change over time. It may also not be possible for the group auditor to perform work on a significant portion of the group, as suggested by Mr Roussey. Clients may choose to have more than one auditor. Mr Sylph noted that the PCAOB indicated that it is comfortable with the division of responsibility approach and that it currently has no intention to reconsider it in the near future. Mr Hodgkinson emphasized that it is important that the explanatory memorandum accompanying the exposure drafts discusses in detail the two approaches and the IAASB’s reasons for retaining both. Agenda Item 4-C Page 7 of Directory: system -> files files -> Haiti Relief – esf 15 Support Organization Situation Report # 17 1/28/10 files -> Haiti Relief – esf 15 Support Organization Situation Report # 16 1/27/10 files -> Right to Carbon or Right to Life: Human Rights Approaches to Climate Change files -> Enhancing interactive learning in the classroom with Turning Point files -> Curriculum vita files -> - files -> Acknowledgements files -> Nw, Washington D. C 20037 Telephone: (202)884-1080, (202)939-6125/7 files -> Grey-headed Flying-fox Management Strategy for the Lower Hunter Grey-headed Flying-fox Download 6.77 Kb. Share with your friends:
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