Snapshot: Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting
This Snapshot introduces the IASB’s Exposure Draft Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting (the ‘Conceptual Framework’)and provides a high level summary of the most important proposals.
Project objectives: To improve fiancial reporting by providing a more complete,
clearer and updated Conceptual Framework that can be used by:
(a) the IASB when it develops International Financial
Reporting Standards (IFRS); and
(b) others to help them understand and apply IFRS.
Next steps: The IASB will consider feedback on its proposals as it develops
the revised Conceptual Framework. The IASB aims to publish the
revised Conceptual Framework in 2016
comment deadline: 26 October 2015
Background
The Conceptual Framework describes the objective of and concepts for fiancial reporting.
The purpose of the Conceptual Framework is to:
(a) assist the IASB to develop Standards that are based on consistent concepts;
(b) assist preparers to develop consistent accounting policies when no Standard applies to a particular transaction or event; and
(c) assist all parties to understand and interpret the Standards.The Conceptual Framework is important because it shapes the decisions that the IASB makes when developing future Standards. However, it is not a Standard and does not override any Standard.
The existing Conceptual Framework has helped the IASB to successfully pursue its stated mission to develop Standards that bring transparency,accountability and effiiency to fiancial markets around the world. However, some improvements are needed.
Fill gaps.
There are gaps in the existing Conceptual Framework. For example,it provides very little guidance on presentation and disclosure of fiancial information.
Update.
Some parts are out of date, for example the existing guidance
on when assets and liabilities should be recognised.
Clarify.
The guidance in some areas is unclear and less helpful than it could be. For example, it is unclear what role measurement uncertainty plays in deciding how to measure assets, liabilities, income or expenses.
In 2011, the IASB carried out a public consultation on its future agenda. Many respondents to that consultation identifid the Conceptual Framework as a priority project. Consequently, the IASB restarted its Conceptual Framework project, which had been suspended in 2010 to give priority to other projects on the IASB’s agenda.
In July 2013, the IASB issued a Discussion Paper A Review of the Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting. The Discussion Paper set out the IASB’s preliminary views on possible changes to the Conceptual Framework. The IASB considered the feedback received on that Discussion Paper when developing the Exposure Draft.
History and content of the Conceptual Framework
1989 Framework:
Objective
Qualitative Characteristics
Elements
Measurement
Recognition
2010 Framework:
Objective1
Qualitative Characteristics1
Elements
Measurement
Recognition
2013 Discussion Paper:
Elements
Measurement
Recognition
Derecognition
Presentation & Disclosure
2015 Exposure Draft:
Objective
Qualitative Characteristics
Elements
Measurement
Recognition
Derecognition
Presentation & Disclosure
Reporting Entity2
1 Revised chapters on the objective of fiancial reporting, and on the qualitative characteristics of useful fiancial information, were issued in 2010.
2 An Exposure Draft on the Reporting Entity was issued in 2010. Feedback received on that Exposure Draft was considered when developing the 2015 Exposure Draft
clarify:Objective and qualitative characteristics
The objective of general purpose fiancial reporting is to provide fiancial information about the reporting entity that is useful to existing and potential investors, lenders and other creditors (users of fiancial statements) in making decisions about providing resources to the entity.
Qualitative characteristics of useful fiancial
information
If fiancial information is to be useful, it must be relevant and faithfully represent what it
purports to represent.
When the IASB restarted work on the Conceptual Framework project, it planned not to reconsider
fundamentally the chapters describing the objective of fiancial reporting and the qualitative
characteristics of useful fiancial information.
However, having listened to the comments received on the Discussion Paper, the IASB now proposes:
(a) to place more emphasis, within the discussion of the objective of fiancial reporting, on the importance of providing
information needed to assess management’s stewardship of the entity’s resources;
(b) to reintroduce an explicit reference to the notion of prudence (described as the exercise of caution when making judgements under conditions of uncertainty)and state that prudence is important to achieve neutrality and hence, a faithful representation; and
(c) to state explicitly that a faithful representation reports the substance of a transaction rather than merely its legal form.
Some respondents to the Discussion Paper raised concerns that reliability is no longer identifid
as a qualitative characteristic of useful fiancial information. The IASB believes that many of the concerns relate to measurement uncertainty.In response, the IASB proposes to clarify that
measurement uncertainty is one factor that can make fiancial statements less relevant, specially
if the level of uncertainty in the estimate is very high.
Elements update clarify
Elements are the basic building blocks from which fiancial statements are constructed.
Statement of fiancial position
Assets , Liabilities , Equity