SEC seeks views on use of IFRSs by US listed companies
26 Jul 2007
Yesterday, the US Securities and Exchange Commission voted unanimously to publish a Concept Release for public comment on whether to allow US issuers, including investment companies, to prepare their financial statements using International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) as published in English by the International Accounting Standards Board.
This morning, we are considering publishing a staff Concept Release that solicits public comment on the future role of IFRSs in US markets and asks whether US issuers should be permitted to use IFRSs for purposes of complying with our rules and regulations. In some respects, this is the mirror image of allowing foreign private issuers to file IFRS financial statements without reconciling their financial statements to US GAAP, in that it would give US issuers the same choice that foreign private issuers would have. Such a concept would also touch potentially every aspect of the US capital markets – from how US accountants are educated and trained, to how US issuers prepare their financial statements, to how US investors understand financial statements, and to how accounting standards are developed and interpreted to apply to US companies. |