INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL REPORTING BULLETIN 2017/07

On 29 March 2017, the International Accounting and Standards Board (IASB) published Exposure Draft 2017/2 Improvements to IFRS 8 Operating Segments (the ED), which follows from a post-implementation review of that standard. The IASB proposes amending IFRS 8 to:

· Emphasise that the chief operating decision maker (CODM) is a function that makes operating decisions about allocating resources to, and assessing the performance of, the operating segments of an entity.

· Add to the existing requirements an explanation that the CODM may be either an individual or a group.

· Explain the role of non-executive members when identifying an entity’s CODM.

· Require the disclosure of the title, and description of the role, of the individual or group that is identified as the CODM.

· Require an explanation in the notes to the financial statements when segments identified in the financial statements differ from those in other parts of its annual reporting package.

· Add further examples of similar economic characteristics to the aggregation criteria.

· Clarify that an entity may disclose segment information in addition to that reviewed by, or regularly provided to, the CODM if that helps the entity meet the core principle in IFRS 8.

· Clarify that the explanations of reconciling items should be given with sufficient detail to enable users of financial statements to understand the nature of those items.

The IASB also proposes amending IAS 34 Interim Financial Reporting to require that in the first interim report after a change in the composition of its reportable segments, an entity should present restated segment information for all interim periods of both current and prior financial years, unless the information is not available and the cost to develop it would be excessive Comments on the Exposure Draft are requested by 31 July 2017.