Representing Africa's voice in international standard-setting is a key area of focus for PAFA.

Watch the March 29 webinar to hear about IESBA's PIE Exposure Draft. 

To watch the March 25 PIE webinar, click here.

For more information or to comment on the exposure draft, visit: https://www.ethicsboard.org/publications/proposed-revisions-definitions-listed-entity-and-public-interest-entity-code.

Watch the March 25 webinar to hear about IESBA's PIE Exposure Draft. 

To watch the March 29 PIE webinar, click here.

For more information or to comment on the exposure draft, visit: https://www.ethicsboard.org/publications/proposed-revisions-definitions-listed-entity-and-public-interest-entity-code.

Earlier today, the IESBA’s Long Association Post-Implementation Review (LAPIR) Working Group released a questionnaire seeking stakeholder feedback on key matters relating to Phase 1 of the LAPIR.

The questionnaire forms part of the Working Group’s information gathering and will help inform the IESBA’s review of the implementation of the five-year cooling-off requirement for engagement partners on audits of public interest entities. This review is being undertaken before the “jurisdictional provision” in the standard expires for audits of financial statements for periods beginning on or after December 15, 2023. The jurisdictional provision permits jurisdictions to apply a cooling-off period less than five years subject to specified conditions.

Click here to download an update of the LAPIR released in March 2021.

How to Participate in the Questionnaire

Click here to access the questionnaire. Please provide your response by May 31, 2021.

If you have any queries about the questionnaire or Phase 1 of the LAPIR, please contact Geoff Kwan, Principal, IESBA, at geoffkwan@ethicsboard.org.

About the event

The world’s climate conversations are ramping up towards the critical COP26 Climate meeting taking place in November 2021. Whilst the coronavirus pandemic has paused many key climate initiatives it has not dampened the ambitions or lessened the severity of the climate crisis the world faces. The challenges presented by the climate crisis are often acutely local in focus, but the leadership required to tackle them is global. How can young leaders in business and finance help connect the two?

The International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board® (IPSASB®) has today released four Exposure Drafts (EDs) for public comment:

• Exposure Draft (ED) 76, Conceptual Framework Update: Chapter 7, Measurement of Assets and Liabilities in Financial Statements;
• ED 77, Measurement; 
• ED 78, Property, Plant, and Equipment; and 
• ED 79, Non-Current Assets Held for Sale and Discontinued Operations.

This suite of four EDs are published together to highlight for respondents the common measurement principles proposed and the ways they are applied consistently throughout the draft guidance. The four EDs address several key conceptual challenges and practical implementation issues identified by the public sector community by introducing:

• Straight-forward measurement principles, by way of a measurement hierarchy, that apply throughout IPSAS and align with the Conceptual Framework; 
• Enhanced guidance clarifying the recognition and measurement of infrastructure and heritage assets that are Property, Plant, and Equipment; and 
• A standard that fills a gap for assets held for sale and discontinued operations.

“This package of EDs addresses a range of conceptual challenges and practical concerns identified by our constituents,” said IPSASB Chair Ian Carruthers. “In particular, it provides guidance for the first time on how to address the problems arising from the unique characteristics of heritage and infrastructure assets. The underlying concepts and guidance proposed in this suite of EDs will underpin the IPSASB’s approach to measurement for many years. It is therefore essential the IPSASB hears the views of respondents on the guidance proposed in these EDs.”

ED 76 streamlines the measurement principles in the Conceptual Framework by eliminating unused measurement bases and enhancing focus on those that are commonly used. The ED proposes a clear measurement hierarchy to help stakeholders apply the principles in practice and aligns measurement concepts with the guidance provided in IPSAS.

ED 77 proposes new guidance in a single standard which addresses how commonly used measurement bases are applied in practice. It brings in generic guidance on fair value for the first time, and it proposes a public sector specific current value measurement basis to respond to stakeholder views that a new measurement basis is required as an alternative to fair value for assets held for their operational capacity.

ED 78 updates IPSAS 17, Property, Plant, and Equipment by adding general measurement guidance and measurement options when accounting for assets within its scope, identifying the characteristics of and heritage and infrastructure assets, and proposing new guidance on how these important types of public sector assets should be recognized and measured.

ED 79 is aligned with IFRS 5, Non-Current Assets Held for Sale and Discontinued Operations and proposes new guidance how to account for non-current assets that are classified as held for sale, when they meet specific criteria.

The IPSASB welcomes the views of respondents on the proposed standards and the other matters raised for comment in the four EDs.

How to Comment
To access the Exposure Draft, its summary At-a-Glance document, and the Request for Information or to submit a comment, visit the IPSASB website, www.ipsasb.org. Comments are requested by October 25, 2021. The IPSASB encourages IFAC members, associates, and Network Partners to promote the availability of this Consultation Paper to their members and employees.

About the IPSASB
The International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB) works to strengthen public financial management globally through developing and maintaining accrual-based International Public Sector Accounting Standards® (IPSAS®) and other high-quality financial reporting guidance for use by governments and other public sector entities. It also raises awareness of IPSAS and the benefits of accrual adoption. The Board receives support from the Asian Development Bank, the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada, the New Zealand External Reporting Board, and the governments of Canada and New Zealand. The structures and processes that support the operations of the IPSASB are facilitated by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). For copyright, trademark, and permissions information, please go to permissions or contact permissions@ifac.org.

About the Public Interest Committee
The governance and standard-setting activities of the IPSASB are overseen by the Public Interest Committee (PIC), to ensure that they follow due process and reflect the public interest. The PIC is comprised of individuals with expertise in public sector or financial reporting, and professional engagement in organizations that have an interest in promoting high-quality and internationally comparable financial information.