SIC 12 Consolidation — Special Purpose Entities

IFRS Interpretations (EU) Print Email
EC staff consolidated version as of 16 September 2009
Last EU endorsed/ amended on 03.11.2008

References

IAS 8 Accounting Policies, Changes in Accounting Estimates and Errors

IAS 19 Employee Benefits

IAS 27 Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements

IAS 32 Financial Instruments: Presentation

IFRS 2 Share-based Payment

Issue

1An entity may be created to accomplish a narrow and well-defined objective (eg to effect a lease, research and development activities or a securitisation of financial assets). Such a special purpose entity (‘SPE’) may take the form of a corporation, trust, partnership or unincorporated entity. SPEs often are created with legal arrangements that impose strict and sometimes permanent limits on the decision-making powers of their governing board, trustee or management over the operations of the SPE. Frequently, these provisions specify that the policy guiding the ongoing activities of the SPE cannot be modified, other than perhaps by its creator or sponsor (ie they operate on so-called ‘autopilot’).

2The sponsor (or entity on whose behalf the SPE was created) frequently transfers assets to the SPE, obtains the right to use assets held by the SPE or performs services for the SPE, while other parties (‘capital providers’) may provide the funding to the SPE. An entity that engages in transactions with an SPE (frequently the creator or sponsor) may in substance control the SPE.

3A beneficial interest in an SPE may, for example, take the form of a debt instrument, an equity instrument, a participation right, a residual interest or a lease. Some beneficial interests may simply provide the holder with a fixed or stated rate of return, while others give the holder rights or access to other future economic benefits of the SPE’s activities. In most cases, the creator or sponsor (or the entity on whose behalf the SPE was created) retains a significant beneficial interest in the SPE’s activities, even though it may own little or none of the SPE’s equity.

4IAS 27 requires the consolidation of entities that are controlled by the reporting entity. However, the Standard does not provide explicit guidance on the consolidation of SPEs.

5The issue is under what circumstances an entity should consolidate an SPE.

6This Interpretation does not apply to post-employment benefit plans or other long-term employee benefit plans to which IAS 19 applies.

7A transfer of assets from an entity to an SPE may qualify as a sale by that entity. Even if the transfer does qualify as a sale, the provisions of IAS 27 and this Interpretation may mean that the entity should consolidate the SPE. This Interpretation does not address the circumstances in which sale treatment should apply for the entity or the elimination of the consequences of such a sale upon consolidation.

Consensus

8An SPE shall be consolidated when the substance of the relationship between an entity and the SPE indicates that the SPE is controlled by that entity.

 

9 In the context of an SPE, control may arise through the predetermination of the activities of the SPE
  (operating on ‘autopilot’) or otherwise. IAS 27.13 indicates several circumstances which result in control
  even in cases where an entity owns one half or less of the voting power of another entity. Similarly, control
  may exist even in cases where an entity owns little or none of the SPE’s equity. The application of the control
  concept requires, in each case, judgement in the context of all relevant factors.  

10In addition to the situations described in IAS 27.13, the following circumstances, for example, may indicate a relationship in which an entity controls an SPE and consequently should consolidate the SPE (additional guidance is provided in the Appendix to this Interpretation):

(a)in substance, the activities of the SPE are being conducted on behalf of the entity according to its specific business needs so that the entity obtains benefits from the SPE’s operation;

(b)in substance, the entity has the decision-making powers to obtain the majority of the benefits of the activities of the SPE or, by setting up an ‘autopilot’ mechanism, the entity has delegated these decision-making powers;

(c)in substance, the entity has rights to obtain the majority of the benefits of the SPE and therefore may be exposed to risks incident to the activities of the SPE; or

(d)in substance, the entity retains the majority of the residual or ownership risks related to the SPE or its assets in order to obtain benefits from its activities.

11[Deleted]

Date of consensus

June 1998

Effective date

This Interpretation becomes effective for annual financial periods beginning on or after 1 July 1999; earlier application is encouraged. Changes in accounting policies shall be accounted in accordance with IAS 8.

An entity shall apply the amendment in paragraph 6 for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2005. If an entity applies IFRS 2 for an earlier period, this amendment shall be applied for that earlier period.

Login to ReadyRatios

 

Have you forgotten your password?

Are you a new user?

Login As
You can log in if you are registered at one of these services: