Regarding the Commission's efforts in support of international convergence of accounting standards, the plan notes:

 

Companies and investors benefit when financial statements, accounting standards, and auditing procedures mean the same thing from country to country. When one set of high-quality standards is applied anywhere in the world, the cost of accessing capital markets is likely to be reduced, and information disclosed to investors in one country can be as relevant and meaningful to investors in other countries.

 

Click for Strategic Plan for 2004-2009 (PDF 1,783k).

Click for Deloitte's Letter.

This follows confirmation of the Australian equivalents to these Standards by the Australian Accounting Standards Board in mid-July. All Australian reporting entities must adopt IFRSs for reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2005. This will, in turn, require APRA to revise its prudential standards and statistical requirements for deposit-taking institutions and insurance companies. Click for (PDF 52k).

PSC standards are based on IFRSs.

You can access all available modules by clicking the IFRS e-Learning 'light bulb' on the IASPlus home page or by clicking Here. Deloitte is making our IFRS e-Learning programme available in the public interest without charge. The three new modules are:

• IAS 12 Income Taxes
• IAS 19 Employee Benefits
• IFRS 1 First-time Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards

This publication focuses on how UK listed companies' financial statements will change as a result of the requirement to adopt IFRSs from 2005, and:

• explains the regulatory framework that requires UK listed groups to prepare their consolidated financial statements in accordance with IFRS;
• contains model financial statements and detailed commentary to illustrate the principal statutory, professional, and listing authority requirements, and;
• comments on the EU regulation that is driving change from UK GAAP to IFRS GAAP for listed groups, the companies affected, and the standards from the International Accounting Standards Board.

iGAAP 2005 Financial Statements for UK Listed Groups can be purchased through CCH Online or by phone at +44 0870 777 2906. iGAAP 2005 Financial Instruments will be available from September 2004, and the complete iGAAP 2005 Manual, similar in style to Deloitte's GAAP 2004 guide to UK reporting requirements, will be available from November 2004.

Click for Deloitte's Letter.

Because a quorum was not present at the meeting, no formal decisions were made.

• Service Concession Arrangements
• D5 Applying IAS 29 Financial Reporting in Hyperinflationary Economies for the First Time
• IFRS 2, IAS 19, and Employee Benefit Trusts – SIC 12 Exemption for Equity Compensation Benefits
• Constitution of an Obligating Event by Future Market Share

EFRAG's Comment deadline is 20 September 2004:

• Link to EFRAG Website to download the draft response
• Link to IASB Website to download the SME discussion paper

The IASB has announced that beginning in September it will generally hold its meetings in four half-day sessions during Board meeting weeks – Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons and Friday mornings, plus a non-decision-making educational session on Wednesday mornings, as follows:

IASB'S Announcement of Its New Meeting Week Schedule

In September 2004 the Board will adopt a new schedule for its meetings designed to make better use of Board time. The revised schedule provides for greater interaction between Board members and the IASB staff as well as time for small group meetings with constituents. This new schedule will not be in effect for the October and November meetings (owing to the joint meeting with the FASB in October and the Standards Advisory Council meeting in November) but will be resumed in December. There will be four half-day meetings: Tuesday 13:00-16:00; Wednesday and Thursday 13:00-18:00; and Friday 08:00-12:00. Holding meetings in the afternoons will enable FASB staff to participate in the Board's discussions on joint projects. Meeting early on Friday accommodates project teams in Japan, Australia and New Zealand. In addition, a public 'educational session' with the Board will be held on Wednesday morning 0800-1200. This session will be used to provide background and education on difficult issues, to help the staff identify potential points of confusion or ideas for solutions. These sessions will consider issues to be discussed in subsequent months' meetings. No decisions will be made. Tuesday and Thursday mornings are available for public meetings between the Board and outside groups. Should such meetings be scheduled, the details will be announced on the IASB's Website in the usual way.