International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Workbook and Guide

Practical insights, Case studies, Multiple-choice questions, Illustrations

Abbas A. Mirza, Graham Holt, Magnus Orrell

• Publisher: Wiley
• Year: 2010
• ISBN:
  9780470893609
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Accounting Standards
• Index: Business

International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Workbook and Guide is a one stop resource for understanding and applying current International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and offers:

• Easy-to-understand explanations of all IFRSs/IASs and IFRICs/SICs issued by the IASB/IASC up to March 2006
• Illustrative examples
• Practical insights
• Worked case studies
• Multiple-choice questions with solutions

Technically reviewed by Liesel Knorr, Secretary General of the German Accounting Standards Committee and former technical director of the International Accounting Standards Committee (IASC).

Forewords by:

Sir David Tweedie, Chairman of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB)

Philippe Richard, Secretary General of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO)

1

INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL REPORTING STANDARDS

1. INTRODUCTION

International Accounting Standards (IAS), now renamed International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), are gaining acceptance worldwide. This section discusses the extent to which IFRS are recognized around the world and includes a brief overview of the history and key elements of the international standard-setting process.

2. WORLDWIDE ADOPTION OF IFRS

2.1 In the last few years, the international accounting standard-setting process has been able to claim a number of successes in achieving greater recognition and use of IFRS.

2.2 A major breakthrough came in 2002 when the European Union (EU) adopted legislation that requires listed companies in Europe to apply IFRS in their consolidated financial statements. The legislation came into effect in 2005 and applies to more than 7,000 companies in 28 countries, including countries such as France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The adoption of IFRS in Europe means that IFRS replace national accounting standards and requirements as the basis for preparing and presenting group financial statements for listed companies in Europe.

2.3 Outside Europe, many other countries are also moving to IFRS. In 2005, IFRS had become mandatory in many countries in Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Latin America, Southern Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean. In addition, countries such as Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Philippines, and Singapore had adopted national accounting standards that mirror IFRS. It was estimated that more than 70 countries required their listed companies to apply IFRS in preparing and presenting financial statements in 2005.

Countries that have Adopted IFRS

Countries in which some or all companies are required to apply IFRS or IFRS-based standards are listed below.

Africa:

Egypt, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania

Americas:

Bahamas, Barbados, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela

Asia:

Armenia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, China, Georgia, Hong Kong, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Nepal, Oman, Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, Tajikistan, United Arab Emirates

Europe:

Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Yugoslavia

Oceania:

Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea

2.4 The adoption of standards that require high-quality, transparent, and comparable information is welcomed by investors, creditors, financial analysts, and other users of financial statements. Without common standards, it is difficult to compare financial information prepared by entities located in different parts of the world. In an increasingly global economy, the use of a single set of high-quality accounting standards facilitates investment and other economic decisions across borders, increases market efficiency, and reduces the cost of raising capital.

3. REMAINING EXCEPTIONS

3.1 Measured in terms of the size of their capital markets, the most significant remaining exceptions to the global recognition of IFRS are the United States (US), Japan, and Canada. In these countries, entities continue to be required to follow local accounting standards.

3.2 The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), the body in charge of setting IFRS, works closely with the national accounting standard-setting bodies in these countries, including the US Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the Accounting Standards Board of Japan (ASBJ), to narrow the differences between local accounting standards and IFRS. In Canada, a proposal for conforming local accounting standards to IFRS has been published.

3.3 In the US, the domestic securities regulator (Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC) has developed a roadmap for eliminating the current requirement for non-US companies that raise capital in US markets to prepare a reconciliation of their IFRS financial statements to US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US GAAP).

4. THE INTERNATIONAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS COMMITTEE

From 1973 until 2001, the body in charge of setting the international standards was the International Accounting Standards Committee (IASC). The principal significance of IASC was to encourage national accounting standard setters around the world to improve and harmonize national accounting standards. Its objectives, as stated in its Constitution, were to

• Formulate and publish in the public interest accounting standards to be observed in the presentation of financial statements and to promote their worldwide acceptance and observance

• Work generally for the improvement and harmonization of regulations, accounting standards, and procedures relating to the presentation of financial statements

4.1 IASC and the Accounting Profession

IASC always had a special relationship with the international accounting profession. IASC was created in 1973 by agreement between the professional accountancy bodies in nine countries, and, from 1982, its membership consisted of all those professional accountancy bodies that were members of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), that is, professional accountancy bodies in more than 100 countries. As part of their membership in IASC, professional accountancy bodies worldwide committed themselves to use their best endeavors to persuade governments, standard-setting bodies, securities regulators, and the business community that published financial statements should comply with IAS.

4.2 IASC Board

The members of IASC (i.e., professional accountancy bodies around the world) delegated the responsibility for all IASC activities, including all standard-setting activities, to the IASC Board. The Board consisted of 13 country delegations representing members of IASC and up to four other organizations appointed by the Board. The Board, which usually met four times per year, was supported by a small secretariat located in London, the United Kingdom.

4.3 The Initial Set of Standards Issued by IASC

In its early years, IASC focused its efforts on developing a set of basic accounting standards. These standards usually were worded broadly and contained several alternative treatments to accommodate the existence of different accounting practices around the world. Later these standards came to be criticized for being too broad and having too many options.

4.4 Improvements and Comparability Project

Beginning in 1987, IASC initiated work to improve its standards, reduce the number of choices, and specify preferred accounting treatments in order to allow greater comparability in financial statements. This work took on further importance as securities regulators worldwide started to take an active interest in the international accounting standard-setting process.

4.5 Core Standards Work Program

4.5.1 During the 1990s, IASC worked increasingly closely with the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) on defining its agenda. In 1993, the Technical Committee of IOSCO held out the possibility of IOSCO endorsement of IASC Standards for cross-border listing and capital-raising purposes around the world and identified a list of core standards that IASC would need to complete for purposes of such an endorsement. In response, IASC in 1995 announced that it had agreed on a work plan to develop the comprehensive set of core standards sought after by IOSCO. This effort became known as the Core Standards Work Program.

4.5.2 After three years of intense work to develop and publish standards that met IOSCO’s criteria, IASC completed the Core Standards Work Program in 1998. In 2000, the Technical Committee of IOSCO recommended securities regulators worldwide to permit foreign issuers to use IASC Standards for cross-border offering and listing purposes, subject to certain supplemental treatments.

4.6 International Accounting Standards and SIC Interpretations

During its existence, IASC issued 41 numbered Standards, known as International Accounting Standards (IAS), as well as a Framework for the Preparation and Presentation of Financial Statements . While some of the Standards issued by the IASC have been withdrawn, many are still in force. In addition, some of the Interpretations issued by the IASC’s interpretive body, the so-called Standing Interpretations Committee (SIC), are still in force.

List of IAS Still in Force for 2006 Financial Statements

IAS 1, Presentation of Financial Statements
IAS 2, Inventories
IAS 7, Cash Flow Statements
IAS 8, Accounting Policies, Changes in Accounting Estimates and Errors
IAS 10, Events After the Balance Sheet Date
IAS 11, Construction Contracts
IAS 12, Income Taxes
IAS 14, Segment Reporting
IAS 16, Property, Plant, and Equipment
IAS 17, Leases
IAS 18, Revenue
IAS 19, Employee Benefits
IAS 20, Accounting for Government Grants and Disclosure of Government Assistance
IAS 21, The Effects of Changes in Foreign Exchange Rates
IAS 23, Borrowing Costs
IAS 24, Related-Party ...