72. IFRS should be required for all public interest entities and detailed transition
plan should be developed for their implementation. This will require that public
interest entities are defined. Such definition should result from an analysis of the business
structure in Lao PDR. Where the regulators need additional information for prudential
supervision purposes, this should be an addition to the IFRS. Simplified financial
reporting requirements for small and medium enterprises should be developed. This
threshold for financial reporting purposes should be defined by law.
73. The Ministry of Finance should decide which standards to adopt for small and
medium enterprise. The simplified financial reporting requirements for SMEs,
developed by IASB (currently exposure draft, not yet finalized), or similar reporting
requirements developed by accounting standard setters in other developed and developing
countries (e.g. Sri Lanka, India, UK), could be used as the basis for developing
accounting and reporting standards for the medium-sized enterprises. And an updated
Lao PDR -- ROSC Accounting and Auditing 19
version of the Lao Accounting System could continue to be used by those companies
defined as small-size. For the micro-enterprises and other informal business entities, there
should not be any requirement for mandatory preparation of financial statements;
arrangements should be made for simplified and less burdensome tax filings by these
enterprises.
74. An awareness program for improving the degree of compliance with the
applicable financial reporting requirements should be introduced. The LICPA and
other regulators should work jointly to design awareness programs highlighting the
significance of compliance with accounting and auditing standards and to improve
information dissemination channels. Shareholders, directors, and top officials from the
corporate sector should be briefed adequately on their responsibilities to ensure
compliance with standards and enforcement process, including legal implications. The
benefits of compliance with standards and best practices should be highlighted in such
programs. In addition, these programs should include cases focusing on emerging
international developments and the role of transparent financial reporting in attracting
both strategic and portfolio investors.
D. Achieving Financial Transparency in the Corporate and Public Sector
75. Public interest companies should be required to submit their financial
statements to the newly structured Accounting Council. In addition to filing annual
financial statements with other regulator(s), the public interest entities should submit
their legal entity and consolidated financial statements to the Accounting Council. The
Accounting Council should make necessary arrangements for reviewing these financial
statements for the purpose of monitoring compliance with the applicable accounting and
auditing standards.
76. Group companies fulfilling the criteria of public interest entities should be
required to prepare consolidated financial statements. In order for this requirement to
be effective, extensive nationwide training will be required.
E. Strengthening Capacity of National Institutions
77. The LICPA capacity must be strengthened considerably. While operating as a
self-regulatory body, the LICPA should be overseen on behalf of the public by the
Accounting Council. Within a sound system of governance LICPA should be provided
with initial funding in order that it can establish operational directorates capable of
providing genuine value to Lao PDR, its business community, and accountancy
profession. Led by a president and a competent full-time chief executive officer, LICPA
should establish directorates for the following:
• Education and training
• Examination
• Registration
Lao PDR -- ROSC Accounting and Auditing 20
• Members services and technical support
• Monitoring
• Legal, investigation and discipline
• Appeals
• Finance
78. A twinning arrangement with a strong IFAC member body should be
established. It should be ensured that this mature professional body has genuine capacity
and commitment to support and provide ongoing advice to the LICPA. It must be ensured
that this twinning partner commits itself to ongoing long-term support and the provision
of experienced internal staff with relevant domestic and international experience. The
twinning partner will be expected to help prepare a full business and financial plan for the
LICPA. This should include a full business risk analysis. Given available income from
training, examination and subscription fees, the LICPA should be expected to become
self financing within 5 years.
79. IFAC membership should be a long-term aim for the LICPA. In the meantime
the twinning partner should help guide the LICPA through the IFAC Compliance
Program and toward working in accordance with the IFAC Statements of Membership
Obligations. The achievement of IFAC Associate status within 3 years ought to be a
realistic target.
80. An enhanced oversight role for the Accounting Council should be defined. The
Accounting Council should include a broader range of stakeholders in order to address
systematically the needs of private and public sector stakeholders in all areas of corporate
financial reporting. There should be legal backing for establishment of an arrangement
for audit practice review under the auspices of the Accounting Council. The review
arrangement should be provided with adequate power and resources. Regulators should
be provided with adequate authority to sanction appropriately for violations of applicable
accounting and auditing standards and rules for ensuring effective monitoring and
enforcing actions.
81. Create a sustainable accounting and auditing standardsetting structure. The
Accounting Law requires that accounting standards are set by the Ministry of Finance.
The MOF Accounting Department lacks the technical expertise to manage this process.
An improved standard setting structure should establish a framework of cooperation
among the MOF Accounting Department, Accounting Council, and LICPA and should
utilize the expertise of all local experts. Foreign experts can help initiate this process.
82. The technical capacities of the MOF Accounting Department, the Accounting
Council, BOL Supervision and Accounting Departments, and Department of State-
Owned Enterprise Fianancial Management must all be improved. These institutions
should be able to determine with confidence the degree of compliance by companies with
the applicable standards; to accomplish this, they should do the following:
Lao PDR -- ROSC Accounting and Auditing 21
• Recruit technically qualified personnel,
• Receive practical training on implementation of IFRS and ISA from
international and local experts, and
• Be provided with improved financial and technical resources.
83. With emphasis on public interest entities, an Audit Inspection Unit should be
established within the Accounting Council. In partnership with LICPA, specialists
should be drawn from the local profession to carry out the following functions;
• Audit practice review. Inspectors will be responsible for conducting practice
reviews of the auditors of public interest entities, ensuring each audit firm is
reviewed at a reasonable, regular interval. After completion of the initial review,
recommendations should be provided to the audit firms for overcoming detected
shortcomings concerning quality assurance arrangements. The practice review
should evaluate an audit firm’s quality assurance arrangements, its audit
approach, and the working papers with regard to selected audit engagements. The
policies and procedures for carrying out audit practice review activities will be
developed by the unit with support from an established IFAC member body.
• Investigation. Valid complaints against auditors and audit firms and any
irregularities identified from the reviews of financial statements and audit
practices should be investigated.
• Disciplinary power. Following reviews, steps should be taken for appropriate
sanctions on relevant parties in order to ensure compliance with the auditing
requirements.
• Reporting to the public. The findings and decisions of the unit, including
sanctions taken against errant auditors, should be made public. This would
increase confidence in audited financial information on the part of both domestic
and international users.
84. The capacity of the Bank of Lao PDR and the Department of State-Owned
Enterprise Financial Management to make meaningful reviews of corporate
financial statements should be strengthened. It is essential that staff better understand
the relationship between prudential and general purpose corporate financial statements.
The following activities should be organized: