By Allan Mundell, Nolands SA
After a considerable process of local and international consultation lasting a year, the IRBA (Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors) recently announced plans to implement Mandatory Audit Firm Rotation (MAFR) in South Africa. The directive effectively puts a time limit on the relationship between auditor and client.
By Michael Reiss von Filski, GGI
Whilst in the accounting profession, global networks and associations are ranked according to their (financial) size, it is not always evident what this means for the quality of services provided. At least, and this is the advantage of the accounting profession, the figures available to compare different networks and associations are a rather reliable and measurable way of accountability. It is generally accepted that a larger entity, organisation or alliance cannot be that bad. Some even go even as far as to preach that the bigger the better.
By Dmitry Sklyarov, ADE Professional Solutions
The national transition to the IFRS programme started in Russia in 1998. It was initiated and driven by the National Council on the financial standards. The significant step towards the convergence and implementation of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in Russia was enforced in 2010 by Federal Law #208 concerning “consolidated financial statements”. The law obliges public companies and their sub-holdings to prepare consolidated financial statements in accordance with IFRS and disclose them publicly within 120 days of the reporting date with the audit opinion enclosed.
By Kassim Harunani, Lawrence Grant
Changes and updates have been introduced to the UK GAAP which relate to the FRSSE (Financial Reporting Standards for Small Entities) and FRS’s (Financial Reporting Standards), by the FRC (Financial Reporting Council) in the form of FRS 100, FRS 101 and FRS 102. The revisions fundamentally reformed financial reporting. These 3 financial reporting standards will replace almost all extant standards.
On 6 September 2012 the government announced key changes to company and LLP audit and reporting requirements. The changes removed the need for many more companies and LLPs to have an audit and they apply to financial years ending on or after 1 October 2012.
On 30 November 2011 the European Commission accepted the proposals of the EU Internal Market Commissioner, Michel Barnier, regarding new rules for auditing. If the governments of the EU states and the European Parliament agree with the directive proposal, the market is set to change for auditors. Barnier justified his approach by stating that, since 2008, confidence in year-end audits has been shaken and that this confidence must be restored. He elaborated in detail regarding the objectives of the new directive: "Conflicts of interest will be rectified, independence strengthened and prudential supervision guaranteed; at the same time the directive will seek greater diversity within the market, which is too highly concentrated – particularly at the top."
