ESMA announces enforcement priorities for 2017 financial statements

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27 Oct 2017

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has announced the priority issues that the assessment of listed companies' 2017 financial statements will focus on.

ESMA considers the following key topics to be especially relevant for the examinations of listed companies' financial statements:

  • disclosure of the expected impact of the implementation of major new standards (IFRS 9 Financial Instruments, IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers, and IFRS 16 Leases) in the period of their initial application and
  • specific issues relating to IFRS 3 Business Combinations and IAS 7 Statement of Cash Flows.

In addition, this year’s priorities emphasise the importance of measurement and disclosure of non-performing loans by credit institutions, the ongoing relevance of the fair presentation of financial performance and the disclosure on the impact of Brexit.

ESMA also highlights that the 2017 year-end will be the first time that the requirements of the amended Accounting Directive to disclose non-financial and diversity information will become applicable for certain large groups and undertakings.

ESMA and European national enforcers will monitor and supervise the application of the IFRS requirements outlined in the priorities, with national authorities incorporating them into their reviews and taking corrective actions where appropriate. ESMA will collect data on how European listed entities have applied the priorities and will publish its findings in a separate report.

Please click for the following documents on the ESMA website:

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