1. CHAPTER 3 INTERNATIONAL ACCOUNTING

2. International Accounting Standards Financial accounting is influenced by the environment in which it operates Companies develop financial reports directed at their primary users  Previously most were residents of the same country as the corporation  Transnational financial reporting has become more commonplace because of the European Union, GATT and NAFTA U. S. companies must be able to compete in global markets with transnational financial reporting

3. International Business Accounting Issues A company’s first exposure to international accounting is frequently the result of a purchase or sale Problems: 1Exchange gains or losses 2Obtaining credit information 3Evaluation of financial statements Next step may be to open an international division Another issue is raising capital in foreign markets  Must prepare financial statements in a format acceptable by appropriate securities market

4. Factors Influencing the Development of Accounting Systems: Level of Education Political System Legal System Economic Development

5. Influences on the Development of Financial Reporting Type of economy Agricultural Resource Based Tourist Based Manufacturing Legal System Codified Common Law Political System Democratic Totalitarian Nature of Ownership Private Enterprise Socialist Communist

6. Influences on the Development of Financial Reporting Growth Pattern of economy Growing Stable Declining Social Climate Stability of currency Sophistication of management Sophistication of financial community Existence of accounting legislation Education System

7. Spheres of Influence of Current Accounting Practices Various attempts at groupings that have changed in response to changes in the environment such as NAFTA and EU Current groupings  United States  UK/Netherlands  Continental/Japan  South American  Third World  Changing Economies  Communist

8. Approaches to Preparing Financial Statements for Use in Other Countries: 1Same to all 2Translate language 3Translate language and currency 4Two sets 5World-wide standards

9. The International Accounting Standards Committee The preparation of financial statements for foreign users under option #5 is being increasingly advocated IASC  formed in 1973 to aid in this process  currently 134 sponsoring organizations from 104 countries International Accounting Standards Board  replaced IASC in 2001

10. Standard Setting by the IASC Original intent:  avoid complex details  concentrate on basic standards Steps in the process  similar to FASB 1Steering Committee 2Identify issues and prepare point outline 3Board prepares comments 4Steering Committee prepares final Statement of Principles 5Exposure Draft 6Steering Committee reviews comments and prepares final standard

11. Standard Setting by the IASC Two treatments 1Benchmark - point of reference 2Alternative Improvements Project  2003  Removed some of the existing alternative accounting treatments  Where an IAS retains alternative treatments IASB removed references to 'benchmark treatment' and allowed 'alternative treatment'  using descriptive references  'cost model'  'revaluation model'

12. Restructuring the IASC In its early years, IASC acted mainly as a harmonizer Recently, it has begun to combine that role with the role of a catalyst HarmonizerCatalyst Coordinator of national initiatives Initiator of new work at national level

13. Restructuring the IASC Future IASC role as catalyst and initiator should become more prominent Important for the IASC to focus objectives more precisely, as follows: 1.To develop international accounting standards that require high- quality, transparent, and comparable information that will help participants in capital markets and others to make economic decisions; and 2.To promote the use of international accounting standards by working with national standard setters.

14. Restructuring the IASC Structural changes needed  so that IASC can anticipate the new challenges facing it and meet those challenges effectively. Issues that need to be addressed: 1.Partnership with national standard setters. IASC should enter into a partnership with national standard setters so that IASC can work together with them to accelerate  convergence between national standards  and international accounting standards around solutions requiring high- quality, transparent, and comparable information  that will help participants in capital markets and others to make economic decisions.

15. Restructuring the IASC 2.Wider participation in the IASC Board. A wider group of countries and organizations should take part in the IASC Board  Without diluting the quality of the Board's work 3.Appointment. The process for appointments to the IASC Board and key IASC committees should be the responsibility of a variety of constituencies Must that those appointed are competent

16. Restructuring the IASC 2001:  Responsibility for international standards- setting was transferred to the to the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB)

17. Restructuring the IASC The following changes were adopted: 1.Steering Committees replaced by a Standards Development Committee National standard setters will play a major role in developing international accounting standards for approval by the IASC Board Standards Development Committee will also be responsible for approving the publication of final SIC Interpretations prepared by the Standing Interpretations Committee 2.Standards Development Committee supported by a Standards Development Advisory Committee Acts as a channel of communication with those national standard setters who are unable to participate directly in the Standards Development Committee because of its limited size

18. Restructuring the IASC 3.IASC Board expanded from 16 to 25 countries and organizations Without diluting the quality of the Board’s work 4.Advisory Council was replaced by 12 Trustees Three appointed by the International Federation of Accountants Three by other international organizations Six by the Trustees to represent the world "at large" Trustees appoint members of the Standards Development Committee, the Board, and the Standing Interpretations Committee Trustees also have responsibility for monitoring IASC’s effectiveness and for financing the IASC’s activities

19. Restructuring the IASC The new structure:  The IASC Foundation  The International Accounting Standards Board  The International Accounting Standards Advisory Council  International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee

20. New Structure IASC Foundation 19 Trustees Appoint, Oversee, Raise Funds International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee (12 members) Board: 12 Full time & 2 Part Time Set Technical Agenda Approve Standards, Exposure Drafts, & Interpretations Standards Advisory Council 49 members Advisory Groups For Major Agenda Projects Appoints Reports To Advises KEY:

21. Revising the IASB’s Constitution Key issues to be reviewed: 1.Whether the objectives of the IASC Foundation should expressly refer to the challenges facing small and medium- sized entities (SMEs) 2.Number of Trustees and their geographical and professional distribution 3.The oversight role of the Trustees 4.Funding of the IASC Foundation 5.The composition of the IASB 6.The appropriateness of the IASB's existing formal liaison relationships 7.Consultative arrangements of the IASB 8.Voting procedures of the IASB 9.Resources and effectiveness of the International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee (UMC): 10.The composition, role, and effectiveness of the SAC

22. The Uses of International Accounting Standards IASC noted that its standards are used in a variety of ways: 1National requirements 2Basis for national requirements 3Benchmark to develop standards 4By regulatory agencies 5By companies Also International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) looks to the IASC to provide standards that can be used in multinational securities offerings

23. Current Issues Partnership with the IOSCO  Generate standards acceptable to IOSCO December 17, 2003  IASB published 13 revised International Accounting Standards  Reissued two others  Gave notice of the withdrawal of its standard on price level accounting. Revised and reissued standards mark near-completion of the IASBs Improvements project

24. Issues to Be Addressed by Standard Setting Bodies in Various Countries Until recently, little impact in U. S. Standard setters will need to focus on following questions: 1Can international accounting standards be set voluntarily by organizations representing a broad set of sovereign nations? 2What is the impact on standard setting of differing economies and social settings in various countries? 3Can lessons be learned from other international world bodies with sovereign members having experience in bringing conflicting national laws into harmony?

25. IFRS No. 1: First-time Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards More than 90 countries will either require or permit the use of IFRSs during the next several years.  As a result, thousands of companies throughout the world will be making a transition in financial reporting by breaking away from national practices and changing to accounting standards set by the IASB.  The IASB issued IFRS No 1 to aid in this process

26. FASB Short-term International Convergence Project The project scope is limited to those differences in which convergence around a high-quality solution would appear to be achievable in the short-term, usually by selecting between existing IFRS and U.S. GAAP. The goal of this project is to remove a variety of individual differences between U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards that are not within the scope of other major projects.

27. The Norwalk Agreement 12/18/2002:  FASB and IASB held joint meeting in Norwalk, Connecticut  Both standard setting bodies acknowledged… their commitment to the development of high-quality compatible accounting standards that can be used for both domestic and cross-border financial reporting.  Also committed to use their best efforts to make their existing financial reporting standards compatible as soon as practicable and to coordinate their future work programs to help ensure that once compatibility is achieved, it will be maintained.

28. The Norwalk Agreement Both Boards agreed to: 1.Undertake a short-term project aimed at removing a variety of differences between U. S. GAAP and IFRSs. 2.Remove any other differences between IFRSs and U. S. GAAP that may remain on January 1, 2005 by undertaking projects that both Boards would address concurrently. 3.Continue the progress on the joint projects currently underway. 4.Encourage their respective interpretative bodies to coordinate their activities.

29. The Roadmap to Convergence 2005 agreement between FASB & IASB:  Convergence best achieved with high-quality, common standards  Develop a new common standard rather than try to eliminate differences  Replace weaker standards with stronger standards

30. 2008 Convergence Goals Should major differences be eliminated? Joint projects: 11 areas of focus

31. International vs. GAAP Accounting Standards Question: Should foreign companies be allowed to list their securities in United States markets Form 20-F reconciliations Pressure on the SEC to accept international accounting rules

32. The Financial Statement Impact of International Accounting Standards FASB project: Purpose of analysis 1Identify similarities and differences of the IAS standard and U. S. GAAP 2Assess the impact of these similarities and differences and their relative significance 3Include examples wherever possible

33. Framework for the Preparation and Presentation of Financial Statements Purpose - to set out concepts that underlie the preparation and presentation of financial statements by: 1Assisting the IASC in developing future standards 2Promoting harmonization of accounting standards 3Assisting national standard setters 4Assisting preparers in applying international standards 5Assisting auditors in forming an opinion as to whether financial statements conform to international standards 6Assisting users in interpreting financial statements prepared in conformity with international standards 7Providing interested parties with information about the IASC’s approach to the formation of international accounting standards

34. Framework for the Preparation and Presentation of Financial Statement” The Framework specifies: 1Objective of financial statements 2Qualitative characteristics 3Elements 4The concepts of capital maintenance

35. The Objective of Financial Statements Information useful in making economic decisions General purpose financial statements The framework indicated that: 1Users require evaluation of the ability of an enterprise to generate cash and the timing and certainty of that generation 2The financial position of an enterprise is affected by the economic resources it controls, its financial structure, its liquidity and solvency and its capacity to adapt to change 3Information on profitability is required to assess changes in the economic resources an enterprise controls in the future 4Information of the financial position of an enterprise is useful in assessing its investing, financing and operating activities 5Information about financial position is contained in the balance sheet and information about performance is contained in the income statement

36. The Objective of Financial Statements Underlying assumptions for the preparation of financial statements 1Accrual basis 2Going concern

37. Qualitative Characteristics Attributes that make accounting information useful 1Understandability 2Relevance 3Reliability 4Comparability Also recognized that timeliness and a balance between costs and benefits were constraints

38. The Elements of Financial Statements Asset Liability Equity Income Expense The concept of recognition –Probable –Measurable

39. The Concepts of Capital Maintenance Concepts: 1Financial capital maintenance 2Physical capital maintenance Selection of the measurement bases and the concept of capital maintenance chosen will determine the accounting model IASC does not intend to prescribe a model

40. Current Developments 2005 joint agenda project Goals: converge existing frameworks into common framework Standards should be principles based, rooted in fundamental concepts

41. IAS No. 1 “Presentation of Financial Statements” Considerations: aFair presentation and compliance with IASC standards bAccounting policies cGoing concern dAccrual basis of accounting eConsistency of presentation fMateriality and aggregation gOffsetting hComparative information FASB staff review

42. IAS No. 1 “Presentation of Financial Statements” 2003 Amendments “Presents fairly” definition Elaboration of “misleading” results from complaince Standards on selection of accounting policies moved to IAS No. 8 Certain disclosures no longer required Specific disclosures required Statement of Changes in Equity disclosure requirements

43. IFRS No. 1 “First Time Adoption of International Reporting Standards” Compliance requirements Recognition of assets and liabilities  Only when required by IFRSs  Requires reclassifying if necessary  Applies existing IFRSs in measuring

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