IAS 36 — Recoverable amount and carrying amount of a cash-generating unit

Date recorded:

IAS 36 — Recoverable amount and carrying amount of a cash-generating unit – Agenda paper 11

Recap

In November 2015, the Interpretations Committee published a tentative agenda decision not to add to its agenda a request to clarify the application of paragraph 78 of IAS 36 Impairment of Assets. The submitter questioned the approach set out in paragraph 78 of IAS 36, which requires an entity to deduct the carrying amount of the recognised liability in determining both the CGU’s carrying amount and its value in use (VIU). The submitter asked whether an alternative approach should be required. The Interpretations Committee tentatively decided not to include this issue on its agenda because when an entity cannot determine the recoverable amount of a CGU without consideration of a recognised liability, paragraph 78 of IAS 36 requires the entity to deduct the carrying amount of the recognised liability in determining both the CGU’s carrying amount and its VIU. In this case, the CGU’s fair value less costs of disposal is determined considering the assets of the CGU and the recognised liability together, consistently with the requirements in paragraph 29 of IAS 36.

The purpose of this session was to analyse the comments letters received and discuss the staff recommendation.

Comment letter analysis

The staff indicated that the majority of respondents agreed with the tentative agenda decision. However, there were some concerns noted that require clarifying that the reason for the adjustment should be in line with the reason provided in paragraph 78 of IAS 36, namely that an entity deducts the carrying amount of a recognised liability in determining both the CGU’s carrying amount and the CGU’s VIU when ‘the disposal of the cash-generating unit would require the buyer to assume the liability’.

Staff recommendation

The staff recommended the Interpretations Committee to finalise the agenda decisions with the consideration of wording changes.

Discussion

This issue was not discussed during this meeting due to a lack of time. It will be discussed at the next meeting of the IFRS Interpretations Committee in May 2016.

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