IASB Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting

The International Accounting Standards Board’s (IASB) revised Conceptual Framework does not have a stated effective date and the IASB will start using it immediately from its date of issue on March 29, 2018.

Published by the IASB:

Included in Part I of CPA Canada Handbook:

Overview

The Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting (Conceptual Framework) describes the objective of and concepts for general purpose financial reporting. It is a practical tool that helps the IASB to develop requirements in IFRS® Standards based on consistent concepts. Consideration of these concepts, in turn, should result in the IASB developing IFRS Standards that require entities to provide financial information that is useful to investors, lenders and other creditors.

The Conceptual Framework is not a Standard. Nothing in the Conceptual Framework overrides any Standard or any requirement in a Standard.

The IASB decided to revise the Conceptual Framework because some important issues were not covered and some guidance was unclear or out of date. The revised Conceptual Framework, issued by the IASB on March 29, 2018, includes: a new chapter on measurement; guidance on reporting financial performance; improved definitions of an asset and a liability, and guidance supporting these definitions; and clarifications in important areas, such as the roles of stewardship, prudence and measurement uncertainty in financial reporting. The IASB also updated references to the Conceptual Framework in IFRS Standards by issuing Amendments to References to the Conceptual Framework in IFRS Standards. This was done to support transition to the revised Conceptual Framework for companies that develop accounting policies using the Conceptual Framework when no IFRS Standard applies to a particular transaction.

History of IASB's Conceptual Framework

The following table shows the history of this standard subsequent to the adoption of IFRS in Canada.

Development

Included in Part I of the CPA Canada Handbook 2

Part I of the CPA Canada Hand­book, including the IASB’s Conceptual Framework, is­sued

Effective for interim and annual financial statements relating to fiscal years beginning on or after January 1, 2011. Earlier application is permitted.

The revised Conceptual Framework, issued by the IASB, includes: a new chapter on measurement; guidance on reporting financial performance; improved definitions of an asset and a liability, and guidance supporting these definitions; and clarifications in important areas, such as the roles of stewardship, prudence and measurement uncertainty in financial reporting.

The Basis of Conclusions for the 2018 Revisions to the Conceptual Framework

The Basis of Conclusions issued by the IASB in March 2018 that accompanies, but is not part of, the revised Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting was added to Part I of the CPA Canada Handbook as non-authoritative material

Notes

  1. For further details of relevant developments prior to this, please refer to our Deloitte Global section.
  2. Newly issued, amended or revised IFRSs are part of Canadian GAAP only after they are approved by the Accounting Standards Board in accordance with its due process.

The above summary does not include details of consequential amendments made as the result of other projects.