Part Finalisation of ED 315 proposals - Accounting Standard AASB 2022-2 Amendments to Australian Accounting Standards – Extending Transition Relief under AASB 1 - Finalisation of ED 315 proposals | Zoe
Accounting Standard AASB 2022-2 Amendments to Australian Accounting Standards – Extending Transition Relief under AASB 1
Finalisation of ED 315 proposalsFinalisation of ED 315 proposals
Start here
Get a plain-English read of Finalisation of ED 315 proposals
Turn the raw legal text into a practical explanation grounded in Accounting Standard AASB 2022-2 Amendments to Australian Accounting Standards – Extending Transition Relief under AASB 1.
BC27 Following the consultation period, and after considering the comments received, the Board decided to proceed with issuing this Standard, with minimal changes from the proposals in ED 315.
BC28 The Board received seven formal comment letters on ED 315. The feedback received indicated that, in general, most respondents supported the proposals. However, some respondents provided additional feedback, which is considered in the following paragraphs.
Amendments to AASB 1
Application of the optional exemption by NFP entities
BC29 As the optional exemption in AASB 1 paragraph D16(a) can be applied by both for-profit and NFP entities, in the absence of a specific limitation to for-profit entities, one stakeholder questioned how a NFP entity might apply the optional exemption (including the proposed amendment) given the recognition and measurement differences between IFRSs and Australian Accounting Standards as they apply to NFP entities.
BC30 The Board considered this feedback but decided that no changes to the proposed amendment were necessary. The Board acknowledged that compliance with IFRSs might not result in compliance with Australian Accounting Standards as they apply to NFP entities, where NFP-specific recognition and measurement requirements in Australian Accounting Standards are relevant to an entity. The Board noted that a NFP entity would be unable to apply the optional exemption when transitioning to Australian Accounting Standards in relation to amounts included in a parent’s IFRS-compliant consolidated financial statements that do not comply with Australian Accounting Standards as they apply to NFP entities. NFP entities are required to comply with the applicable NFP requirements in Australian Accounting Standards when transitioning to those Standards, subject to any specific exceptions and exemptions in AASB 1.
BC31 The Board noted that this outcome is consistent with how the optional exemption is currently being applied in some circumstances. For example, a NFP entity is unable to apply the optional exemption to assets and liabilities where the amounts included in the parent’s consolidated financial statements do not comply with Australian Accounting Standards as they apply to NFP entities. This could occur where a NFP entity has a for-profit parent that prepares consolidated financial statements for the mixed group (ie a group that includes both for-profit and NFP entities) using accounting policies appropriate to for-profit entities.
Compliance with IFRSs
BC32 One stakeholder provided feedback that, in their view, the proposed amendment to AASB 1 paragraph D16(a) was too narrow because the optional exemption could only be applied where a parent entity prepares financial statements that comply with IFRSs, and not where a parent entity prepares financial statements that comply with IFRS-equivalent Standards but do not include a statement of compliance with IFRSs.
BC33 Although the Board considered there could be merit in permitting the proposed amendment to be applied in circumstances where a parent’s financial statements comply with IFRS-equivalent Standards rather than IFRSs, the Board decided not to make such a change. The Board noted that referring only to IFRSs as proposed in ED 315 is consistent with the approach to first-time adoption in AASB 1. The Board was also concerned about potential unintended consequences if the proposed amendment could be applied where a parent entity prepared financial statements that complied with IFRS-equivalent Standards, including possible difficulties in determining which standards are considered IFRS-equivalent Standards.
Other amendments
BC34 Following feedback from stakeholders, the Board also decided to amend:
(a) AASB 1 paragraph D13A, for consistency with the amended paragraph D16(a); and
(b) AASB 1 paragraph D17, to allow an entity that becomes a first-time adopter of Australian Accounting Standards in its consolidated financial statements later than its subsidiary (or associate or joint venture) to use the amounts included in the subsidiary’s (or associate’s or joint venture’s) separate financial statements where the subsidiary (or associate or joint venture) has already adopted either Australian Accounting Standards or IFRSs, subject to consolidation, equity accounting and business combination adjustments.
Amendment to AASB 1053
BC35 As noted in paragraph BC28, most respondents to ED 315 supported the proposed amendment to AASB 1053. However, two respondents suggested that the proposed amendment was unnecessary. In summary, these respondents suggested that because the unconsolidated GPFS are separate financial statements, the entity would be applying Tier 2 requirements in the consolidated financial statements for the first time (if they have not prepared consolidated financial statements in the past). Therefore, the entity could use AASB 1 without the proposed amendment, as they would be a first-time adopter of Australian Accounting Standards in the consolidated financial statements. This is because an entity can be a first-time adopter in relation to a set of financial statements – for example, its separate financial statements or consolidated financial statements – rather than in relation to the entity as such.
BC36 The Board noted that AASB 1 paragraph D17, although written in the context of a parent becoming a first-time adopter later than its subsidiary, appears to support the view that distinct ‘first-time adoptions’ are possible for an entity’s separate financial statements and for its consolidated financial statements. Paragraph D17 states that “… if a parent becomes a first-time adopter for its separate financial statements earlier or later than for its consolidated financial statements, it shall measure its assets and liabilities at the same amounts in both financial statements, except for consolidation adjustments.”
BC37 The Board considered this feedback and decided to proceed with the proposed amendment to AASB 1053. Although the Board acknowledged that the proposed amendment might not be strictly necessary due to the requirements in AASB 1 paragraph D17, the Board considered that the amendment:
(a) is helpful to stakeholders because it clarifies that an entity can apply AASB 1 on transition from unconsolidated Tier 2 – Reduced Disclosure Requirements GPFS to consolidated Tier 2 – Simplified Disclosures GPFS;
(b) is consistent with the approach adopted by the Board in AASB 2020-2 for entities transitioning from SPFS to Tier 2 GPFS; and
(c) provides entities with an accounting policy choice that would otherwise be unavailable; that is, they can choose whether to apply AASB 1 or AASB 108 Accounting Policies, Changes in Accounting Estimates and Errors to their transition.
BC38 Two stakeholders also provided feedback suggesting that the proposed paragraph 20A of AASB 1053 should also be available to NFP entities. The stakeholders suggested that broadening the scope of the amendment would avoid any unforeseen effects on NFP entities that are currently preparing unconsolidated Tier 2 – Reduced Disclosure Requirements GPFS and that might decide to transition to consolidated Tier 2 – Simplified Disclosures GPFS.
BC39 The Board acknowledged this feedback but reconfirmed its view that as NFP entities are not affected by the removal of SPFS and the ‘reporting entity’ definition in Australian Accounting Standards at this stage, they can continue to consider themselves to be non-reporting entities and prepare single-entity Tier 2 – Simplified Disclosures GPFS, applying the exemption in AASB 10, if appropriate. For this reason, the Board decided no changes to the proposed AASB 1053 amendment were necessary.
Effective date
BC40 The Board confirmed that, consistent with the effective date of AASB 2020-2 for most entities, the amendments would be effective for annual periods ending on or after 30 June 2022, with earlier application permitted, as proposed in ED 315.