IAS 21 - The Effects of Changes in Foreign Exchange Rates

Overview

The Effects of Changes in Foreign Exchange Rates outlines how to account for foreign currency transactions and operations in financial statements, and also how to translate financial statements into a presentation currency.

An entity is required to determine a functional currency (for each of its operations if necessary) based on the primary economic environment in which it operates and generally records foreign currency transactions using the spot conversion rate to that functional currency on the date of the transaction.

Objective

The objective of IAS 21 is to prescribe how to include foreign currency transactions and foreign operations in the financial statements of an entity and how to translate financial statements into a presentation currency.

The principal issues are which exchange rates to use and how to report the effects of changes in exchange rates in the financial statements.

Key Definitions

Functional Currency:

The currency of the primary economic environment in which the entity operates.

Presentation Currency: 

The currency in which financial statements are presented.

Exchange Difference: 

The difference resulting from translating a given number of units of one currency into another currency at different exchange rates.

Foreign Operation:

A subsidiary, associate, joint venture, or branch whose activities are based in a country or currency other than that of the reporting entity.

Basic steps for translating foreign currency amounts into the functional currency

Steps apply to a stand-alone entity, an entity with foreign operations (such as a parent with foreign subsidiaries), or a foreign operation (such as a foreign subsidiary or branch).

1.              The reporting entity determines its functional currency.

2.              The entity translates all foreign currency items into its functional currency.

3.              The entity reports the effects of such translation:

a.  Reporting foreign currency transactions in the functional currency.

b.  Reporting the tax effects of exchange differences.

Foreign Currency Transactions:

A Foreign Currency Transaction should be recorded initially at the rate of exchange at the date of the transaction.

The use of averages is permitted if they are a reasonable approximation of actual.

At Each Subsequent Balance Sheet Date:

• Foreign currency monetary amounts should be reported using the closing rate.
• Non-Monetary Items carried at historical cost should be reported using the exchange rate at the date of the transaction.
• Non-Monetary Items carried at fair value should be reported at the rate that existed when the fair values were determined.

Exchange Differences Arising when monetary items are settled or when monetary items are translated at rates different from those at which they were translated when initially recognised or in previous financial statements are reported in profit or loss in the period, with one exception.

The Exception is that exchange differences arising on monetary items that form part of the reporting entity's net investment in a foreign operation are recognised, in the consolidated financial statements that include the foreign operation, in other comprehensive income; they will be recognised in profit or loss on disposal of the net investment.

As regards a monetary item that forms part of an entity's investment in a foreign operation, the accounting treatment in consolidated financial statements should not be dependent on the currency of the monetary item.

Also, the accounting should not depend on which entity within the group conducts a transaction with the foreign operation.

If a gain or loss on a non-monetary item is recognised in other comprehensive income (for example, a property revaluation under IAS 16), any foreign exchange component of that gain or loss is also recognised in other comprehensive income.

Translation from the functional currency to the presentation currency

The results and financial position of an entity whose functional currency is not the currency of a hyperinflationary economy are translated into a different presentation currency using the following procedures:

• Assets and Liabilities for each balance sheet presented (including comparatives) are translated at the closing rate at the date of that balance sheet. This would include any goodwill arising on the acquisition of a foreign operation and any fair value adjustments to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities arising on the acquisition of that foreign operation are treated as part of the assets and liabilities of the foreign operation.
• Income and Expenses for each income statement (including comparatives) are translated at exchange rates at the dates of the transactions; and
• All resulting exchange differences are recognised in other comprehensive income.

Special rules apply for translating the results and financial position of an entity whose functional currency is the currency of a hyperinflationary economy into a different presentation currency.

Where the foreign entity reports in the currency of a hyperinflationary economy, the financial statements of the foreign entity should be restated as required by IAS 29 Financial Reporting in Hyperinflationary Economies, before translation into the reporting currency. Please go through my relevant article below:

The requirements of IAS 21 regarding transactions and translation of financial statements should be strictly applied in the changeover of the national currencies of participating Member States of the European Union to the Euro – Monetary Assets and Liabilities should continue to be translated the closing rate, cumulative exchange differences should remain in equity and exchange differences resulting from the translation of liabilities denominated in participating currencies should not be included in the carrying amount of related assets

Disposal of a Foreign Operation:

When a foreign operation is disposed of, the cumulative amount of the exchange differences recognised in other comprehensive income and accumulated in the separate component of equity relating to that foreign operation shall be recognised in profit or loss when the gain or loss on disposal is recognised.

Tax Effects of Exchange Differences:

These must be accounted for using IAS 12 Income Taxes. Please go through my relevant article below:

Disclosure:

• The amount of exchange differences recognised in profit or loss (excluding differences arising on financial instruments measured at fair value through profit or loss.
• Net exchange differences recognised in other comprehensive income and accumulated in a separate component of equity, and a reconciliation of the amount of such exchange differences at the beginning and end of the period.
• When the presentation currency is different from the functional currency, disclose that fact together with the functional currency and the reason for using a different presentation currency.
• A change in the functional currency of either the reporting entity or a significant foreign operation and the reason therefor.

When an entity presents its financial statements in a currency that is different from its functional currency, it may describe those financial statements as complying with IFRS only if they comply with all the requirements of each applicable Standard (including IAS 21) and each applicable Interpretation.

Convenience Translations:

Sometimes, an entity displays its financial statements or other financial information in a currency that is different from either its functional currency or its presentation currency simply by translating all amounts at end-of-period exchange rates. This is sometimes called a convenience translation. A result of making a convenience translation is that the resulting financial information does not comply with all IFRS, particularly IAS 21. In this case, the following disclosures are required:

• Clearly identify the information as supplementary information to distinguish it from the information that complies with IFRS.
• Disclose the currency in which the supplementary information is displayed.
• Disclose the entity's functional currency and the method of translation used to determine the supplementary information.

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