Unlike under IAS 31, legal structure no longer drives classification of the arrangement under IFRS 11. Instead, it is principles-based, in that judgment is applied when assessing whether a joint arrangement is a joint operation or a joint venture (For a discussion of principles-based standards, see Steven M. Mintz, “Ethics, Professional Judgment, and Principlesbased Decision Making Under IFRS,” The CPA Journal, January 2011, pp. 68–72.) Thus, in determining the classification of the arrangement, the venture needs to consider its rights and obligations from the arrangement. This requires consideration of the structure and legal form of the arrangement; the terms agreed upon by the parties in the contractual arrangement; and, when relevant, other facts and circumstances. In other words, the substance—not
just the form—of the joint arrangement must be considered. Once the classification of the arrangement is determined, the
accounting follows.