Introduction to IFRS 10 - Consolidated Financial Statements

1 IFRS 10 Consolidated Financial Statements establishes principles for the presentation and preparation of consolidated financial statements when an entity controls one or more other entities.

2 The IFRS supersedes IAS 27 Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements and SIC-12
Consolidation—Special Purpose Entities and is effective for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2013. Earlier application is permitted.

Reasons for issuing the IFRS

3 The Board added a project on consolidation to its agenda to deal with divergence in practice in applying IAS 27 and SIC-12. For example, entities varied in their application of the control concept in circumstances in which a reporting entity controls another entity but holds less than a majority of the voting rights of the entity, and in circumstances involving agency relationships.

4 In addition, a perceived conflict of emphasis between IAS 27 and SIC-12 had led to inconsistent application of the concept of control. IAS 27 required the consolidation of entities that are controlled by a reporting entity, and it defined control as the power to govern the financial and operating policies of an entity so as to obtain benefits from its activities. SIC-12, which interpreted the requirements of IAS 27 in the context of special purpose entities, placed greater emphasis on risks and rewards.

5 The global financial crisis that started in 2007 highlighted the lack of transparency about the risks to which investors were exposed from their involvement with ‘off balance sheet vehicles’ (such as securitisation vehicles), including those that they had set up or sponsored. As a result, the G20 leaders, the Financial Stability Board and others asked the Board to review the accounting and disclosure requirements for such ‘off balance sheet vehicles’.

Main features of the IFRS

6 The IFRS requires an entity that is a parent to present consolidated financial statements. A limited exemption is available to some entities.

General requirements

7 The IFRS defines the principle of control and establishes control as the basis for determining which entities are consolidated in the consolidated financial statements. The IFRS also sets out the accounting requirements for the preparation of consolidated financial statements.

7A Investment Entities (Amendments to IFRS 10, IFRS 12 and IAS 27), issued in October 2012, introduced an exception to the principle that all subsidiaries shall be consolidated. The amendments define an investment entity and require a parent that is an investment entity to measure its investments in particular subsidiaries at fair value through profit or loss in accordance with IFRS 9

Financial Instruments1 instead of consolidating those subsidiaries in its consolidated and separate financial statements. In addition, the amendments introduce new disclosure requirements related to investment entities in IFRS 12
Disclosure of Interests in Other Entities and IAS 27 Separate Financial Statements.

8 An investor controls an investee when it is exposed, or has rights, to variable returns from its involvement with the investee and has the ability to affect those returns through its power over the investee; Thus, the principle of control sets out the following three elements of control:

(a) power over the investee;

(b) exposure, or rights, to variable returns from involvement with the investee; and

(c) the ability to use power over the investee to affect the amount of the investor’s returns.

9 The IFRS sets out requirements on how to apply the control principle:

(a) in circumstances when voting rights or similar rights give an investor power, including situations where the investor holds less than a majority of voting rights and in circumstances involving potential voting rights.

(b) in circumstances when an investee is designed so that voting rights are not the dominant factor in deciding who controls the investee, such as when any voting rights relate to administrative tasks only and the relevant activities are directed by means of contractual arrangements.

(c) in circumstances involving agency relationships.

(d) in circumstances when the investor has control over specified assets of an investee.

10 The IFRS requires an investor to reassess whether it controls an investee if facts and circumstances indicate that there are changes to one or more of the three elements of control.

11 When preparing consolidated financial statements, an entity must use uniform accounting policies for reporting like transactions and other events in similar circumstances. Intragroup balances and transactions must be eliminated. Non-controlling interests in subsidiaries must be presented in the consolidated statement of financial position within equity, separately from the equity of the owners of the parent.

12 The disclosure requirements for interests in subsidiaries are specified in IFRS 12.