INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL REPORTING BULLETIN 2017/02

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has, as a source of information to assist in the
appropriate application of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs), developed a confidential
database of enforcement decisions taken by EU National Enforcers participating in European Enforcers Coordination Sessions (EECS). This forum involves 38 European enforcers from the 28 member states and the two countries in the European Economic Area (EEA) who have responsibilities in the area of supervision and enforcement of financial information. The EECS is a forum in which European enforcers of financial information meet to exchange views and discuss practical experiences of enforcement of IFRS financial information provided by companies which have, or are in the process of having, securities admitted to trading on a regulated market in Europe.

European national enforcers apply their judgement, knowledge and experience to the particular circumstances of the cases that they consider. Relevant factors for each enforcement decision may include consideration of national law, the requirements of which may go beyond the requirements of accounting standards and interpretations. In consequence, when considering the cases that are publicly reported, careful consideration should be given to their individual circumstances. Situations which seem similar may in substance be different, and consistent application of IFRS means consistent with the principles and treatments permitted by IFRS.

ESMA regularly publishes extracts from its database, with the intention of informing market participants about which accounting treatments EU National Enforcers (the Enforcers), may consider as complying with IFRSs and thus contribute to a consistent application of IFRSs in the European Union. The published decisions generally include a description of the accounting treatment or presentation at issue, the decision taken by the Enforcer and a summary of the Enforcer’s underlying rationale. However, decisions taken by enforcers do not constitute generally applicable interpretations of IFRS; this remains the role of the IFRS Interpretations Committee.

On 5 January 2017, ESMA published its 20th extract from the database.