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19 Mar 2020
The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) has published a comprehensive
discussion paper DP/2020/1 'Business Combinations — Disclosures, Goodwill and Im-
pairment'. The IASB's related project aims at improving the information companies
provide to investors, at a reasonable cost, about the businesses those companies buy
and would help to hold management to account for its decisions to acquire those busi-
nesses. In this context, the IASB is investigating possible improvements to IFRS 3
'Business Combinations' and IAS 36 'Impairment of Assets'. The comment period on the
discussion paper was extended until 31 December 2020.
Background
The IASB's project on goodwill and impairment results from the post-implementation review of
IFRS 3 Business Combinations.
The feedback on the post-implementation review had revealed that impairment of goodwill is not
always recognised in a timely fashion and that disclosures required by IFRSs do not provide
enough information to understand whether the acquired business is performing as was
expected at the time of the acquisition. There were also comments that the impairment test
required for goodwill under IAS 36 Impairment of Assets is costly and complex. Some respon-
dents also suggested reintroducing amortisation of good will.
In February 2015, to address the concerns mentioned and investigate possible improvements
to IFRS 3Business Combinations and IAS 36, the IASB added to its research agenda the
following areas of focus, which later evolved into the goodwill and impairment project:
o improving the impairment test in IAS 36;
o subsequent accounting for goodwill (including the relative merits of an impairment-only
approach and an amortisation and impairment approach); and
o identification and measurement of intangible assets acquired in a business combination.
The discussions leading to the discussion paper published today were taken up in September
2015.
Summary of preliminary views
Additional information