IPSASs

(International Public Sector

Accounting Standards)
AUDIT / TAX / ADVISORY / IG&H

Wim Touw
June 2006
Content

Brief history on Accountability and Transparency

IPSASs in general

Development in The Netherlands

IPSASs specific

2
Accountability and Transparency in the
public sector (1)

Step 1: accountable only for financial aspects (till 1980’s)

Step 2: accountable for the relationship budget and

goals achieved (from input Æ throughput Æ output)

Step 3: accountable by stakeholder dialogue (1990’s –

2004) (from input Æ throughput Æ output Æ outcome)

Step 4: network organizations and stakeholder

partnerships ( 2006 Æ)
(from input Æ throughput Æ output Æ outcome)

3
Accountability and Transparency in the
public sector (2)

Current accounting (mixture of cash accounting and

accrual accounting) policies are no longer sufficient to
achieve the goals set by (Dutch) government

New accounting policies could support the

accountability and transparency goals set by
stakeholders

The change in organizing programs from ‘ivory tower’

to ‘network partners’

4
Accountability and Transparency in the
public sector (3)

Q: In what stage of transparency is your organization?

5
IPSAS in general

IFAC (approx 170 members, 120 countries)

International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board
(IAASB)
Education Committee
Ethics Committee
Professional Accountants in Business (PAIB)
International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board
(IPSASB)

6
International Public Sector Accounting
Standards Board (IPSASB)

Objectives:
Improving financial management
Improving accountability and transparancy
Through:
Reporting (financial and others) for governmental and
government related organizations
Support:
benchmark guidelines
Research and education
Facilitating exchange of knowledge e.g. between
auditors and stakeholders

7
Products IPSASB

International Public Sector Accounting Standards

(IPSASs)
International Public Sector Guidelines
International Public Sector Studies
Occasional Papers

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IPSASB: accrual based IPSASs

IPSASs based on IFRS; adjusted for the public sector

De IPSASB tries to maintain original text IFRSs
Significant discrepancies requires adjustments
Additional standards to IFRS or filling gaps
Accrual IPSASs based on IFRSs Æ IASB “Framework
for the preparation and Presentation of Financial
Statements”

9
From Cash Basis to Accrual Basis

Implementing IPSAS is voluntarily

Cash Basis IPSAS encourage disclosure of accrual
based information
IPSASB organizes transition periods which facilitate
transfers from cash based to accrual based IPSAS
After the transition periods the entity should report full
compliance with accrual based IPSASs
IPSAS 1 demands to disclose in which way the entity
uses these transition periods
Advise: from cash basis Æ accrual basis Æ accrual
based IPSASs

10
Critical IPSASs (accrual based)

IPSAS 1: Presentation of Financial Statements

IPSAS 2: Cash Flow Statements
IPSAS 6: Consolidated Financial Statements and
Accounting for Controlled Entities
IPSAS 9: Revenue from Exchange Transactions
IPSAS 15: Financial Instruments: Disclosure and
Presentation
IPSAS 16: Investment Property
IPSAS 17: Property, Plant and Equipment
IPSAS 19: Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and
Contingent Assets
IPSAS 21: Impairment of Non-Cash-Generating Assets

11
Practice in The Netherlands (1)

Pilot ministry of Agriculture:

Budget finances a wide range of activities like

research (also NWO), education, EU-regulation

Controls and control-function are in place

Experienced with transition processes from

cash/accrual accounting to accrual accounting

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Practice in The Netherlands (2)

Objectives:
Is the information based on accrual accounting of
higher quality especially for the long term budgeting?

Will the efficiency and effectiveness improve of the

internal organization ?

What are the consequences of implementing accrual

accounting for the entire government?

13
Practice in The Netherlands (3)

Transition process ministry of Agriculture:

Conversion:
New accounting policies and implementing them fully
(including consolidated entity’s)
New accounting ledgers
Annual accounts 2005 transform in to accrual based
IPSAS

Accounting and reporting manual

14
Practice in The Netherlands (4)

Consolidation criteria
Actual costs/fair value
Impairment of non-cash-generating assets
Provisions
Contingent liabilities
Contingent assets
Reserves

15
Practice in The Netherlands (5)

Planning pilot ministry of Agriculture:

2006: implementing
2007: first year
2008: first results

It’s more complex then expected

16
Practice International

Implementing accrual based IPSAS:

EC
NATO
World Bank
Liechtenstein
Canton's in Switzerland

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IPSASs (Accrual based / IFRS) (1)

IPSAS 1 - Presentation of Financial Statements

(IAS 1 Presentation of Financial Statements)
IPSAS 2 - Cash Flow Statements
(IAS 7 Cash Flow Statements)
IPSAS 3 - Net Surplus or Deficit for the Period,
Fundamental Errors and Changes in Accounting
Policies
(IAS 8 Net Profit or Loss for the Period, Fundamental
Errors and Changes in Accounting Policies)
IPSAS 4 - The Effects of Changes in Exchange Rates
(IAS 21 The effects of Changes in Exchange Rates)

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IPSASs (Accrual based / IFRS) (2)

IPSAS 5 - Borrowing Costs

(IAS 23 Borrowing Costs)
IPSAS 6 - Consolidated Financial Statements and
Accounting for Controlled Entities
IAS 27 Consolidated Financial Statements and
Accounting for Controlled Entities
IPSAS 7 - Accounting for Investments in Associates
IAS 28 Accounting for investments in Associates

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IPSASs (Accrual based / IFRS) (3)

IPSAS 8 - Financial Reporting of Interests in Joint

Ventures
IAS 31 Financial Reporting of Interests in Joint Ventures
IPSAS 9 - Revenue from Exchange Transactions
IAS 18 Revenue
IPSAS 10 - Financial Reporting in Hyperinflationary
Economies
IAS 29 Financial Reporting in Hyperinflationary
Economies
IPSAS 11 - Construction Contracts
IAS 11 Construction Contracts

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IPSASs (Accrual based / IFRS) (4)

IPSAS 12 – Inventories
IAS 2 Inventories
IPSAS 13 – Leases
IAS 17 Leases
IPSAS 14 - Events After the Reporting Date
IAS 10 Events After the Balance
IPSAS 15 - Financial Instruments: Disclosure &
Presentation
IAS 32 Financial Instruments: Disclosure & Presentation
IPSAS 16 - Investment Property
IAS 40 Investment Property
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IPSASs (Accrual based / IFRS) (5)

IPSAS 17 - Property, Plant and Equipment

IAS 16 Property, Plant and Equipment
IPSAS 18 - Segment Reporting
IAS 14 Segment Reporting
IPSAS 19 - Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and
Contingent Assets
IAS 37 Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and Assets
IPSAS 20 - Related Party Disclosures
IAS 24 Related Party Disclosures
IPSAS 21 - Impairment of Non-Cash-Generating Assets
IAS 36 Impairrment of Assets
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IFRSs and IPSASs (1)

IFRS 1 First-time adoption of IFRS

IFRS 2 Share-based Payment
IFRS 3 Business Combinations
IFRS 4 Insurance Contracts
IFRS 5 Non current Assets and Discontinued Operations
IAS 1 Presentation of Financial Statements
IPSAS 1 Presentation of Financial Statements
IAS 2 Inventories
IPSAS 12 Inventories
IAS 7 Cash Flow Statements
IPSAS 2 Cash Flow Statements
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IFRSs and IPSASs (2)

IAS 8 Accounting Policies, Changes in Accounting

Estimates and Errors
IPSAS 3: Net Surplus or Deficit for the Period,
Fundamental Errors and Changes in Accounting
Policies
IPSAS 3 Exposure Draft: Accounting Policies Changing
in Accounting Estimates and Errors
IAS 10 Events after the Balance Sheet Date
IPSAS 14 Events After the Reporting Date
IAS 11 Construction Contracts
IPSAS 11: Construction Contracts
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IFRSs and IPSASs (3)

IAS 12 Income Taxes

IAS 14 Segment Reporting
IPSAS 18 Segment Reporting
IAS 16 Property, Plant and Equipment
IPSAS 17Property, Plant and Equipment
IAS 17 Leases
IPSAS 13 Leases
IAS 18 Revenu
IPSAS 9: Revenue from Exchange Transactions
IAS 19 Employee Benefits

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IFRSs and IPSASs (4)

IAS 20 Accounting for Government Grants and

Disclosure of Government Assistance
IAS 21 The effects of changes in Foreign Exchange
Rates
IPSAS 4 The Effects of Changes in Foreign Exchange
Rates
IAS 23 Borrowing costs
IPSAS 5 Borrowing Costs
IAS 24 Related Party Disclosures
IPSAS 20 Related Party Disclosures

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IFRSs and IPSASs (5)

IAS 26 Accounting and Reporting by Retirement

Benefit Plans
IAS 27 Consolidated and Seperate Financial
Statements
IPSAS 6 Consolidated Financial Statements and
Accounting for Controlled Entities
IAS 28 Investment in Associates
IPSAS 7 Accounting for Investments in Associates
IAS 29 Financial Reporting in Hyperinflationary
Economies
IPSAS 10 Financial Reporting in Hyperinflationary
Economies
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IFRSs and IPSASs (6)

IAS 30 Disclosures in the Financial Statements of

Banks and Similar Financial Institutions
IAS 31 Interests in Joint Ventures
IPSAS 8 Financial Reporting of Interests in Joint
Ventures
IAS 32 Financial Instruments: Disclosure and
Presentation
IPSAS 15 Financial Instruments: Disclosure and
Presentation
IAS 33 Earnings per Share
IAS 34 Interim Financial Reporting
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IFRSs and IPSASs (7)

IAS 36 Impairment of Assets

IPSAS 21 Impairment of Non Cash Generating Assets
IAS 37 Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and
Contingent Assets
IPSAS 19 Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and Assets
IAS 38 Intangible Assets
IAS 39 Financial Instruments: Recognition and
Measurement
IAS 40 Investment Property
IPSAS 16 Investment Property
IAS 41 Agriculture
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Summary

IPSASs is an interesting phenomenon; broad

implementation not on a shortterm

First implementing accrual accounting

It’s food for thought in the not-for-profit sector

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IPSAS 1: Presentation of Financial
Statements (1)

Refers IAS 1 Presentation of Financial Statements

No considerable differences from IAS 1 !!
A complete set financial statements contains:
Statement of financial position
Statement of financial performance
Statement of changes in net assets/equity
Cash flow statement
Disclosure of the accounting policies

31
Government Business Enterprises (1)

IPSAS Guideline nr 1
Has the authority to sign contracts
Can run an ‘enterprise’
Market oriented; at least full costs
Going concern based on own activities
(no governmental support other than at arms length)
Ownership by a government

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Government Business Enterprises (2)

Exemples:
Railways
Energy plants
Telecom
Water supply
Research equipment
IAS/IFRS is applicable (not IPSAS)!
Q: whom of you is in this position?

33
IPSAS 1: Presentation of Financial
Statements (2)

Statement of financial position should include:

Plant, property and equipment
Immaterial assets
Financial assets
Provisions

Q: what are the consequences for your organization?

34
IPSAS 6: Consolidated financial statements
and Accounting for Controlled Entities

No considerable differences from IAS 27

Entity presents consolidated financial statements and
disclose the entities which she controls
Control is the power to govern and to gain from
Transition period: It’s accepted in the first 3 years of
implementing accrual based IPSAS to ignore
eliminations for the consolidation
Q: what are the consequences for your organization?

35
IPSAS 17: Property, Plant and Equipment (1)

Refers to IAS 16 Property, Plant and Equipment

Significant deviation of IAS 16:
Does not concern historical assets (b.v. historical
buildings, monuments, art) unless they have “service
potential” (b.v. rent)
Transition
It’s allowed during the first 5 years of adopting accrual
based IPSAS to ignore (classes of) property, plant and
equipment
First adoption based on fair value is allowed

36
IPSAS 17: Property, Plant and Equipment (2)

Example of PPE:
Roads, water and energy equipment
Telescopes
Specialized research equipment
Split assets into different components (b.v. top layer of
a road, buildings, inspecting assets)
First valuation: historical costs Ærevaluation
Revaluation based on: taxation, comparable assets,
reproduction

37
IPSAS 17: Property, Plant and Equipment (3)

Example of “classes”: land, roads, buildings, ships,

oilrigs,
Impairment based on IPSAS 21
Depreciation methods relating to economic
advantages or services rendered

Q: what are the consequences for your organization?

38
IPSAS 19: Provisions, Contingent
Liabilities and Contingent Assets (1)

Based on IAS 37 Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and

Assets
Important deviations:
Does not include social security obligations
Does not include pensions (IAS 19)
Does include restructuring costs

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IPSAS 19: Provisions, Contingent Liabilities
and Contingent Assets (2)

Exemples:
Guaranties on goods delivered
Poluted soil
Outsourcing
Contracts which includes financial losses
Lawsuits
Q: what are the consequences for your organization?

40
To expect from IPSASB, other

Revenue from Non-Exchange Transactions

(comprising taxes and Transfers)

Accounting for Social Policies of Governments

Employee Benefits

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Questions?

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