IPSASB Update: International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board Activities Overview

1. International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB)Update on Activities Mike Hathorn Chair IPSASB

2. Overview • Background • IPSASB Strategic Themes • Project Updates – Present and Future IPSASB UPDATE

3. IPSASB • Standing Board within IFAC • Develops International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSASs) – accrual and cash • Supported by the Canadian Government and CICA, NZ and Swiss Governments, World Bank, UN Group , ADB. • Technical Director and 3 staff Toronto based, 1 New York, 1 Melbourne and 1 UK • Rolling secondment from Chinese Ministry of Finance IPSASB UPDATE

4. IPSASB Process • 18 Members (3 Public Members) • Meets 3 times per year • 4 day meetings which may include a regional seminar and/or a consultative group meeting. • Open to the public • All materials publicly available – posted on internet IPSASB UPDATE

5. Developing Standards • Accrual based standards • Convergence with IFRSs unless public sector specific reason for departure – ‘Rules of the Road’ • Public sector specific standards • Current hierarchy – where no IPSAS exists consider IASB standards or national standards • Task Force to review Cash-basis IPSAS IPSASB UPDATE

6. Transparent “Due Process” • Exposure drafts: at least 4 months for comment • Analyses of submissions • Sub Committees, Task Forces, Project Advisory Panels (PAP) • Consultative Group IPSASB UPDATE

7. Available on the IPSASB Web Site: • All IPSASs (26 accrual plus 1 cash basis) • (including Spanish and French translations) • All current Exposure Drafts and other publications • IPSASB Updates on most recent IPSASB meetings • IPSASB meeting papers (before each meeting) • Project histories FREE OF CHARGE AT: WWW.IFAC.ORG/PublicSector IPSASB UPDATE

8. UN System (28 bodies) OECD, NATO (21 bodies), EC, IFAC, INTERPOL Almost 70 countries have agreed processes or have a project in place to adopt IPSASs or align with IPSASs Strong Evidence of Progress IPSASB UPDATE

9. Disclosures by recipients of external assistance • Aims toharmonize/reduce compliance costs • Requested by OECD/multi-laterals/bi-laterals • Approved at Beijing meeting and incorporated into cash basis IPSAS in early 2008 IPSASB UPDATE

10. Strategic Themes • Conceptual framework for public sector • Public sector specific issues including convergence with statistical bases where appropriate • IFRS convergence – ‘Rules of the Road’ • Promotion & communication IPSASB UPDATE

11. Conceptual Framework • Group 1 Consultative Document topics to be considered in March 2008 as one document – Objectives, Reporting Entity, Scope and Qualitative Characteristics • Final review June 2008 • Group 2 topics to be considered in June 2008. IPSASB UPDATE

12. Social Benefits : Current Approach • ED 34: Disclosure of Cash Transfers to Individuals or Households • requires disclosure of amounts expected to be transferred to eligible individuals or households (not recognition and measurement) • ED 34 approved in principle at Beijing meeting • Consultation Paper on “Social Benefits: Key Issues in Recognition and Measurement” • approved in late February • Initiation of project on long-term fiscal sustainability • project brief will be made publicly available IPSASB UPDATE

13. Service Concessions IFRIC 12: Service Concession Arrangements issued: November 2006 • Operators only not grantors so limited direct applicability in public sector • Based on control IPSASB Project: Sub Committee supported by US GASB Staff • Not constrained by existing accounting guidance/approaches • Consultation Paper: for approval in March 2008 • Possible accounting approaches: • Control • Risks and rewards • Reversion of asset IPSASB UPDATE

14. IFRS Convergence • Convergence strategy to update to IASB Standards as at December 2008 by December 2009 • IPSAS 25, “Employee Benefits” • IPSAS 26, “Impairment of Cash-Generating Assets” IPSASB UPDATE

15. Rules of the Road: Purpose (1) • Codify when divergence from IFRS is appropriate • Clear statement of how IPSASB decides whether to depart from IFRS and when to initiate public sector specific project • Approved at Beijing meeting • Test during 2008 before going on website IPSASB UPDATE

16. Rules of the Road : Key Steps(2) • Step One: Are there public sector issues that warrant departure? • Step Two: Are the departures so significant that a public sector specific project should be initiated? • Step Three: Modify IASB documents. • Step Four: Issue IPSAS IPSASB UPDATE

17. Other IFRS Convergence Topics Financial Instruments • Update IPSAS 15 on presentation to converge with IAS 32 • Develop IPSAS on disclosure based on IFRS 7 • Issues Paper to be considered at March 2008 meeting • Aim to issue ED later in 2008 Foreign Exchange • Update IPSAS 4 (ED 33 released July 2007) Borrowing Costs • Update IPSAS 5 IPSASB UPDATE

18. Topics in work plan for 2008 and 2009 • Entity combinations • Intangible assets • Financial instruments – recognition and measurement • Fair Value • Management’s Discussion & Analysis (MD&A)/Narrative Reporting • Performance Reporting Further consideration of work plan at March 2008 meeting IPSASB UPDATE

19. International Federation of Accountantswww.ifac.org