IFRIC Interpretation 5 is released
16 Dec 2004
The International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee (IFRIC) has published IFRIC Interpretation 5 'Rights to Interests Arising from Decommissioning, Restoration and Environmental Rehabilitation Funds'.
IFRIC 5 explains how to treat expected reimbursements from funds set up to meet the costs of decommissioning plant (such as nuclear plant) or equipment (such as cars) or in undertaking environmental restoration or rehabilitation (such as rectifying pollution of water or restoring mined land).
The main requirements of the Interpretation are:
- If a contributor recognises a decommissioning obligation under IFRSs and contributes to a fund to segregate assets to pay for the obligation, it should apply IAS 27, SIC-12, IAS 31, and IAS 28 to determine whether decommissioning funds should be consolidated, proportionately consolidated, or accounted for under the equity method
- When a fund is not consolidated, proportionately consolidated, or accounted for under the equity method, the contributor should recognise its obligation to pay decommissioning costs as a liability and recognise its interest in the fund separately unless the contributor is not liable to pay decommissioning costs
- A right to reimbursement should be measured at the lower of (a) the amount of the decommissioning obligation recognised and (b) the contributor's share of the fair value of the net assets of the fund adjusted for actual or expected factors that affect the entity's ability to access these assets. Changes in the carrying amount of this right (other than contributions to and payments from the funds) should be recognised in profit or loss
- A residual interest in a fund that extends beyond a right to reimbursement, such as a contractual right to distributions once all the decommissioning has been completed or on winding up the fund may be an equity instrument within the scope of IAS 39.
IFRIC 5 is effective for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2006. Click for IASB Press Release (PDF 65k).