International Financial Reporting Standards

International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) are designed as a common global language for business affairs so that company accounts are understandable and comparable across international boundaries. They are a consequence of growing international shareholding and trade and are particularly important for companies that have dealings in several countries. They are progressively replacing the many different national accounting standards. They are the rules to be followed by accountants to maintain books of accounts which are comparable, understandable, reliable and relevant as per the users internal or external.

IFRS, with the exception of IAS 29 Financial Reporting in Hyperinflationary Economies and IFRIC 7 Applying the Restatement Approach under IAS 29, are authorized in terms of the historical cost paradigm. IAS 29 and IFRIC 7 are authorized in terms of the units of constant purchasing power paradigm.

IFRS began as an attempt to harmonize accounting across the European Union but the value of harmonization quickly made the concept attractive around the world. However, it has been debated whether or not de facto harmonization has occurred. Standards that were issued by IASC (the predecessor of IASB) are still within use today and go by the name International Accounting Standards (IAS), while standards issued by IASB are called IFRS. IAS were issued between 1973 and 2001 by the Board of the International Accounting Standards Committee (IASC). On 1 April 2001, the new International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) took over from the IASC the responsibility for setting International Accounting Standards. During its first meeting the new Board adopted existing IAS and Standing Interpretations Committee standards (SICs). The IASB has continued to develop standards calling the new standards "International Financial Reporting Standards".

IFRS 1

International Financial Reporting Standard 1: First-time Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards or IFRS 1 is an international financial reporting standard issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). It sets out requirements on the preparation and presentation of financial statements and interim financial reports by entities that are adopting the IFRS for the first time, to ensure that they contain high-quality information.

IFRS 1 has been cited by Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) as having "great practical significance" in jurisdictions that are adopting the IFRSs. The standard has been endorsed by the European Commission for use in the European Union, with the Commission Services finding in 2009 that the latest version of IFRS 1 has benefits that outweigh the costs of adoption.

Overview

IFRS 1 aims to ensure that an entity's first financial statements after adopting IFRS, and interim statements for partial periods under IFRS, will:

IFRS 16

IFRS 16 is an International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) promulgated by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) providing guidance on accounting for leases. IFRS 16 was issued in January 2016 and will be effective for most companies that report under IFRS in 2019. Upon becoming effective, it will replace the earlier leasing standard, IAS 17.

A primary principle of IFRS 16 is that all leases should be reported on the balance sheet, although there are exceptions for small items (e.g., under $5000) and for leases with a term of less than 12 months. Under IFRS 16, a lessee is required to recognize an asset for the right to use the leased item and a liability for the present value of its future lease payments.

IFRS 16 requires lessors to classify leases as either an "operating lease" or a "financing lease." The lessor recognizes revenue under a financing lease as essentially interest payments on the amount financed. The lessor recognizes income under an operating lease on a systematic consistent with the benefits derived from the leased assets, which may be a straight-line basis.