International Federation of Accountants 545 Fifth Avenue, 14 th Floor New York, New York 10017 USA This publication was prepared by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). Its mission is to serve the public interest, strengthen the worldwide accountancy profession and contribute to the development of strong international economies by establishing and promoting adherence to high quality professional standards, furthering the international convergence of such standards and speaking out on public interest issues where the profession’s expertise is most relevant. This publication may be downloaded free-of-charge from the IFAC website http://www.ifac.org. The approved text is published in the English language. IFAC welcomes any comments you may have regarding this handbook. Comments may be sent to the address above or emailed to IAASBpubs@ifac.org. Copyright © March 2008 by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). All rights reserved. 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ISBN: 978-1-934779-06-4 HANDBOOK OF INTERNATIONAL AUDITING, ASSURANCE, AND ETHICS PRONOUNCEMENTS 2008 EDITION PART II Scope of Part II of the Handbook Part II of the handbook contains background information on the project of the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) to improve the clarity of its pronouncements (Clarity project), an amended Preface to the International Standards on Quality Control, Auditing, Review, Other Assurance and Related Services, and the International Standards on Auditing that have been redrafted in accordance with the clarity conventions. Part I of the handbook contains background information on the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) and the currently effective pronouncements on ethics, quality control, auditing, review, other assurance, and related services issued by IFAC as of January 1, 2008. How Part II of the Handbook is Arranged The contents of Part II of the handbook are arranged by section as follows: Background Information on the Clarity Project of the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board 1 Preface to the International Standards on Quality Control, Auditing, Review, Other Assurance and Related Services (December 2006) 5 Glossary of Terms 12 Redrafted and Revised and Redrafted International Standards on Auditing 16 CLARITY PROJECT 1 CLARITY PROJECT BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE CLARITY PROJECT OF THE INTERNATIONAL AUDITING AND ASSURANCE STANDARDS BOARD Clarity and High Quality International Standards In serving the public interest, the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) sets high quality international auditing and other assurance standards. The IAASB recognizes that standards need to be understandable, clear and capable of consistent application. These aspects of clarity serve to enhance the quality and uniformity of practice worldwide. In seeking to improve its standards, in 2003 the IAASB reviewed the drafting conventions used in its International Standards. The objective of the review was to identify ways to improve the clarity, and thereby the consistent application, of International Standards on Auditing (ISAs). In 2004, the IAASB began a comprehensive program to enhance the clarity of ISAs. This program involves the application of new drafting conventions to all ISAs, either as part of a substantive revision or through a limited redrafting to reflect the new conventions and matters of clarity generally. Amended Preface The IAASB has issued amendments to the Preface to the International Standards on Quality Control, Auditing, Review, Other Assurance and Related Services (Preface). The Preface establishes the new conventions to be used in drafting ISAs and the obligations of auditors who follow those Standards. Improvements arising from the amended Preface broadly comprise: • Identifying the auditor’s overall objective when conducting an audit in accordance with ISAs, setting an objective in each ISA, and establishing an obligation on the auditor in relation to those objectives; • Clarifying the obligations imposed on auditors by the requirements of the ISAs and the language used to communicate such requirements; • Eliminating any possible ambiguity about the requirements an auditor needs to fulfill (such possible ambiguity arose from the use of the present tense in the current ISAs); and • Improving the overall readability and understandability of the ISAs through structural and drafting improvements, including presenting the requirements and application and other explanatory material in separate sections within the ISAs. Plan for Completing the Project The IAASB established a plan for completing the project by the end of 2008. This plan distinguishes revision and redrafting. The IAASB currently has 32 ISAs in issue. Of these: BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE CLARITY PROJECT OF THE IAASB CLARITY PROJECT 2 • 11 are under full revision and will be issued in the clarity form (for purposes of the handbook, they are referred to as “Revised and Redrafted”); • Nine have been revised in the last few years and are in no need of further revision, but will be redrafted in the clarity form (referred to as “Redrafted”); and • The other 12 have not been recently revised, but are considered acceptable; they will be redrafted in the clarity form without revision for any other matters (also referred to as “Redrafted”). The plan responds to the desire for all ISAs to be consistently drafted, and subject to a single statement of their authority and effect, while completing the Clarity project within a reasonable time. It also minimizes the time the IAASB will spend on the clarification of the older ISAs and ensures that the IAASB can turn its attention to other projects as soon as practicable. These other projects may include the full revision of some of the older ISAs if the clarity redrafting exercise, or the IAASB’s consultation on its future work program, highlights a need for this. The IAASB’s timetable to 2008, which is updated after each IAASB meeting, is available at www.ifac.org/IAASB/downloads/Current_IAASB_Project_Timetable.doc. Effective Date The redrafted or revised and redrafted ISAs will be effective for audits of financial statements for periods beginning on or after December 15, 2009. Implementation Considerations It is important that all those with responsibility for implementation activities consider the final ISAs as early as practicable. National standards setters, legislators and others involved in setting standards have been following the development of the ISAs and contributing to the process by commenting on exposure drafts. They will, therefore, be well placed to consider adoption or convergence plans that maximize the implementation period for auditors. IFAC member bodies and auditors, who have similarly been following the process, will want to consider what continuing professional development courses or other training materials need to be developed. Auditors will also need to consider the extent to which the new requirements within the ISAs call for amendments to current audit programs and procedures. The IAASB is releasing the final ISAs as they are approved, and after the Public Interest Oversight Board has confirmed that due process has been followed in the development of each Standard. The IAASB believes that publication of the ISAs in this way will assist in their translation, adoption and implementation. The IAASB accepts that there is a possibility of conforming amendments being necessary to released ISAs as other ISAs are redrafted or revised and redrafted, although this process will be completed before publication of the set of final ISAs in late 2008. Any such amendments are not expected to change the substance of the ISAs already approved, although they may have a small effect on their content. BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE CLARITY PROJECT OF THE IAASB CLARITY PROJECT 3 CLARITY PROJECT Progress to Date At December 31, 2007, the IAASB has released the following final ISAs: • ISA 230 (Redrafted), “Audit Documentation” • ISA 240 (Redrafted), “The Auditor’s Responsibilities Relating to Fraud in an Audit of Financial Statements” • ISA 260 (Revised and Redrafted), “Communication with Those Charged with Governance” • ISA 300 (Redrafted), “Planning an Audit of Financial Statements” • ISA 315 (Redrafted), “Identifying and Assessing the Risks of Material Misstatement Through Understanding the Entity and Its Environment” • ISA 330 (Redrafted), “The Auditor’s Responses to Assessed Risks” • ISA 540 (Revised and Redrafted), “Auditing Accounting Estimates, Including Fair Value Accounting Estimates, and Related Disclosures” • ISA 600 (Revised and Redrafted), “Special Considerations—Audits of Group Financial Statements (Including the Work of Component Auditors)” • ISA 720 (Redrafted), “The Auditor’s Responsibility in Relation to Other Information in Documents Containing Audited Financial Statements” At December 31, 2007, the IAASB has approved the following final ISAs. These ISAs are awaiting confirmation by the Public Interest Oversight Board that due process has been followed in their development. They will be released after such confirmation has been received: • ISA 560 (Redrafted), “Subsequent Events” • ISA 580 (Revised and Redrafted), “Written Representations” At December 31, 2007 the following exposure drafts of proposed redrafted or revised and redrafted ISAs have been issued. These ISAs have not yet been completed as final Standards: • ISA 200 (Revised and Redrafted), “Overall Objective of the Independent Auditor, and the Conduct of an Audit in Accordance with International Standards on Auditing” • ISA 210 (Redrafted), “Agreeing the Terms of Audit Engagements” • ISA 220 (Redrafted), “Quality Control for an Audit of Financial Statements” and 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” • ISA 250 (Redrafted), “The Auditor’s Responsibilities Relating to Laws and Regulations in an Audit of Financial Statements” • ISA 265, “Communicating Deficiencies in Internal Control” BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE CLARITY PROJECT OF THE IAASB CLARITY PROJECT 4 • ISA 320 (Revised and Redrafted), “Materiality in Planning and Performing an Audit” • ISA 402 (Revised and Redrafted), “Audit Considerations Relating to an Entity Using a Third Party Service Organization” • ISA 450 (Revised and Redrafted), “Evaluation of Misstatements Identified during the Audit” • ISA 500 (Redrafted), “Considering the Relevance and Reliability of Audit Evidence” • ISA 501 (Redrafted), “Audit Evidence Regarding Specific Financial Statement Account Balances and Disclosures” • ISA 505 (Revised and Redrafted), “External Confirmations” • ISA 510 (Redrafted), “Initial Audit Engagements—Opening Balances” • ISA 520 (Redrafted), “Analytical Procedures” • ISA 530 (Redrafted), “Audit Sampling” • ISA 550 (Revised and Redrafted), “Related Parties” • ISA 570 (Redrafted), “Going Concern” • ISA 610 (Redrafted), “The Auditor’s Consideration of the Internal Audit Function” • ISA 620 (Revised and Redrafted), “Using the Work of an Auditor’s Expert” • 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 710 (Redrafted), “Comparative Information—Corresponding Figures and Comparative Financial Statements” • ISA 800 (Revised and Redrafted), “Special Considerations—Audits of Special Purpose Financial Statements and Specific Elements, Accounts or Items of a Financial Statement” • ISA 805 (Revised and Redrafted), “Engagements to Report on Summary Financial Statements” For redrafted or revised and redrafted ISAs released subsequent to December 31, 2007 and exposure drafts, visit the IAASB’s website at http://www.iaasb.org. AMENDED PREFACE 5 AMENDED PREFACE PREFACE TO THE INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS ON QUALITY CONTROL, AUDITING, REVIEW, OTHER ASSURANCE AND RELATED SERVICES (Approved December 2006) (Effective as of December 15, 2009) CONTENTS Paragraph Introduction 1-2 The IAASB’s Pronouncements 3 The Authority Attaching to International Standards Issued by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board 4-9 International Standards on Auditing 10-29 The Authority Attaching to Practice Statements Issued by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board 30-31 Other Papers Published by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board 32 Language 33 AMENDED PREFACE TO THE INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS ON QUALITY CONTROL, AUDITING, REVIEW, OTHER ASSURANCE AND RELATED SERVICES AMENDED PREFACE 6 Introduction 1. This preface to the International Standards on Quality Control, Auditing, Review, Other Assurance and Related Services (International Standards or IAASB’s Standards) is issued to facilitate understanding of the scope and authority of the pronouncements the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) issues, as set forth in the IAASB’s Terms of Reference. 2. The IAASB is committed to the goal of developing a set of International Standards which are generally accepted worldwide. IAASB members act in the common interest of the public at large and the worldwide accountancy profession. This could result in their taking a position on a matter that is not in accordance with current practice in their country or firm or not in accordance with the position taken by those who put them forward for membership of the IAASB. The IAASB’s Pronouncements 3. The IAASB’s pronouncements govern audit, review, other assurance and related services engagements that are conducted in accordance with International Standards. They do not override the local laws or regulations that govern the audit of historical financial statements or assurance engagements on other information in a particular country required to be followed in accordance with that country’s national standards. In the event that local laws or regulations differ from, or conflict with, the IAASB’s Standards on a particular subject, an engagement conducted in accordance with local laws or regulations will not automatically comply with the IAASB’s Standards. A professional accountant should not represent compliance with the IAASB’s Standards unless the professional accountant has complied fully with all of those relevant to the engagement. The Authority Attaching to International Standards Issued by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board 4. International Standards on Auditing (ISAs) are to be applied in the audit of historical financial information. 5. International Standards on Review Engagements (ISREs) are to be applied in the review of historical financial information. 6. International Standards on Assurance Engagements (ISAEs) are to be applied in assurance engagements dealing with subject matters other than historical financial information. 7. International Standards on Related Services (ISRSs) are to be applied to compilation engagements, engagements to apply agreed upon procedures to AMENDED PREFACE TO THE INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS ON QUALITY CONTROL, AUDITING, REVIEW, OTHER ASSURANCE AND RELATED SERVICES AMENDED PREFACE 7 AMENDED PREFACE information and other related services engagements as specified by the IAASB. 8. ISAs, ISREs, ISAEs and ISRSs are collectively referred to as the IAASB’s Engagement Standards. 9. International Standards on Quality Control (ISQCs) are to be applied for all services falling under the IAASB’s Engagement Standards. International Standards on Auditing 1 10. ISAs are written in the context of an audit of financial statements 2 by an independent auditor. 3 They are to be adapted as necessary in the circumstances when applied to audits of other historical financial information. 11. The objective of an audit of financial statements is to enable the auditor to express an opinion whether the financial statements are prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with an applicable financial reporting framework. It is undertaken to enhance the degree of confidence of intended users in the financial statements. ISAs, taken together, provide the standards for the auditor’s work in fulfilling this objective. 12. In conducting an audit, the overall objective of the auditor is to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to report on the financial statements in accordance with the auditor’s findings. In all cases when this overall objective has not been or cannot be achieved, the ISAs require that the auditor modifies the auditor’s opinion accordingly or withdraws from the engagement. 13. The auditor applies each ISA relevant to the audit. An ISA is relevant when the ISA is in effect and the circumstances addressed by the ISA exist. 14. The ISAs deal with the general responsibilities of the auditor, as well as the auditor’s further considerations relevant to the application of those responsibilities to specific topics. An ISA contains objectives and requirements together with related guidance in the form of application and other explanatory material. It may also contain introductory material that provides context essential to a proper understanding of the ISAs, and definitions. It is, therefore, necessary to consider the entire text of an ISA to understand and apply its requirements. 1 The terms and concepts in this Preface are explained further in the ISAs, in particular in [proposed] ISA 200 (Revised and Redrafted), “Overall Objective of the Independent Auditor, and the Conduct of an Audit in Accordance with International Standards on Auditing.” 2 Unless otherwise stated, “financial statements” mean financial statements comprising historical financial information. 3 Referred to hereafter as “the auditor.” [...]... compliance with the requirements of this ISA will result in the audit documentation being sufficient and appropriate in the circumstances Other ISAs contain specific documentation requirements that are intended to clarify the application of this ISA in the particular circumstances of those other ISAs The specific documentation requirements of other ISAs do not limit the application of this ISA Furthermore,... (REDRAFTED) AUDITING Timely Preparation of Audit Documentation AUDIT DOCUMENTATION (REDRAFTED) Introduction Scope of this ISA 1 This International Standard on Auditing (ISA) deals with the auditor’s responsibility to prepare audit documentation for an audit of financial statements It is to be adapted as necessary in the circumstances when applied to audits of other historical financial information The... material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, at the financial statement and assertion levels Significant component—A component identified by the group engagement team (a) that is of individual financial significance to the group, or (b) that, due to its specific nature or circumstances, is likely to include significant risks of material misstatement of the group financial statements Significant... the audit, such as participation in the team discussions required by ISA 315 (Redrafted).3 Documentation of Significant Matters and Related Significant Professional Judgments (Ref: Para 8(c)) A8 Judging the significance of a matter requires an objective analysis of the facts and circumstances Examples of significant matters include: • Matters that give rise to significant risks (as defined in ISA 315... (REDRAFTED) Introduction Scope of this ISA 1 This International Standard on Auditing (ISA) deals with the auditor’s responsibilities relating to fraud in an audit of financial statements Specifically, it expands on how ISA 315 (Redrafted)1 and ISA 330 (Redrafted)2 are to be applied in relation to risks of material misstatement due to fraud Characteristics of Fraud 2 Misstatements in the financial statements... example, in a continuing engagement, nothing in [proposed] ISA 510 (Redrafted)8 is relevant); or (b) The circumstances envisioned do not apply because the requirement is conditional and the condition does not exist (for example, the requirement to modify the auditor’s opinion where there is an inability to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence, and there is no such inability) 6 [Proposed] ISA 200... Appendix lists other ISAs that contain specific documentation requirements and guidance The specific documentation requirements of other ISAs do not limit the application of this ISA Laws or regulations may establish additional documentation requirements Nature and Purposes of Audit Documentation 2 Audit documentation that meets the requirements of this ISA and the specific documentation requirements... audited financial statements that is incorrectly stated or presented A material misstatement of fact may undermine the credibility of the document containing audited financial statements Other information—Financial and non-financial information (other than the financial statements and the auditor’s report thereon) which is included, either by law, regulation or custom, in a document containing audited... terms found in ISAs to assist in common and consistent interpretation and translation 23 ISQCs are written to apply to firms in respect of all their services falling under the IAASB’s Engagement Standards The authority of ISQCs is set out in the introduction to the ISQCs Other International Standards 24 The International Standards identified in paragraphs 5-7 contain basic principles and essential procedures... evaluating management’s point estimate Business risk—A risk resulting from significant conditions, events, circumstances, actions or inactions that could adversely affect an entity’s ability to achieve its objectives and execute its strategies, or from the setting of inappropriate objectives and strategies Component—An entity or business activity for which group or component management prepares financial . “The Auditor’s Responsibilities Relating to Laws and Regulations in an Audit of Financial Statements” • ISA 265, “Communicating Deficiencies in Internal. circumstances, is likely to include significant risks of material misstatement of the group financial statements. Significant risk—An identified and assessed risk