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IFRS / IAS — International Financial Reporting Standards

IFRS Accounting Standards are issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) under the IFRS Foundation. They are a single set of globally-applied standards comprising the IFRS standards (IFRS 1–19), the legacy IAS standards (IAS 1–41) still in force, and the IFRIC / SIC interpretations.

In the EU and the Netherlands, IFRS apply through EU-endorsed IFRS under the IAS Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002: EU-listed companies must prepare their consolidated financial statements under EU-endorsed IFRS. Non-listed Dutch entities generally apply Dutch GAAP; IFRS is optional for many of them. EU-endorsed IFRS can lag IASB-issued IFRS until the endorsement process completes — always check endorsement status for newly issued standards (e.g. IFRS 18).

note

Standard numbers, titles and effective dates below are verified against ifrs.org. The full text of each standard sits behind the IFRS Navigator; every link points to a standard's landing page (no fabricated deep links). Paragraph references in the "key requirements" tables are indicative — confirm against the standard text.

IFRS Accounting Standards (IFRS 1–19)

StandardTitleTopic / scopeStatus & effective dateSource
IFRS 1First-time Adoption of IFRSRules for an entity's first IFRS financial statementsIn forceifrs.org
IFRS 2Share-based PaymentEquity- and cash-settled share-based paymentsIn forceifrs.org
IFRS 3Business CombinationsAcquisition method, goodwill, NCIIn forceifrs.org
IFRS 4Insurance ContractsInsurance contractsSuperseded by IFRS 17 (from 1 Jan 2023)ifrs.org
IFRS 5Non-current Assets Held for Sale and Discontinued OperationsHeld-for-sale classification & presentationIn forceifrs.org
IFRS 6Exploration for and Evaluation of Mineral ResourcesExtractive industries pre-development costsIn forceifrs.org
IFRS 7Financial Instruments: DisclosuresDisclosures for financial instrumentsIn forceifrs.org
IFRS 8Operating SegmentsSegment reporting (management approach)In forceifrs.org
IFRS 9Financial InstrumentsClassification/measurement, ECL impairment, hedge accountingIn forceifrs.org
IFRS 10Consolidated Financial StatementsControl model & consolidationIn forceifrs.org
IFRS 11Joint ArrangementsJoint operations vs joint venturesIn forceifrs.org
IFRS 12Disclosure of Interests in Other EntitiesDisclosures for subsidiaries, JVs, associates, structured entitiesIn forceifrs.org
IFRS 13Fair Value MeasurementHow to measure fair value + disclosuresIn forceifrs.org
IFRS 14Regulatory Deferral AccountsInterim standard for rate-regulated first-time adoptersIn force (limited scope)ifrs.org
IFRS 15Revenue from Contracts with Customers5-step revenue recognition modelIn forceifrs.org
IFRS 16LeasesSingle lessee on-balance-sheet modelIn forceifrs.org
IFRS 17Insurance ContractsMeasurement model for insurance contractsIn force (from 1 Jan 2023)ifrs.org
IFRS 18Presentation and Disclosure in Financial StatementsReplaces IAS 1; new P&L categories, subtotals, MPMsIssued; effective 1 Jan 2027 (early application permitted)ifrs.org
IFRS 19Subsidiaries without Public Accountability: DisclosuresReduced disclosures for eligible subsidiariesIssued; effective 1 Jan 2027 (early application permitted)ifrs.org

IAS Standards (IAS 1–41)

IAS standards predate the IASB (issued by its predecessor, the IASC) and remain in force unless superseded. Many numbers were withdrawn when their content was folded into newer standards.

StandardTitleTopic / scopeStatusSource
IAS 1Presentation of Financial StatementsRequired statements, structure, going concernSuperseded by IFRS 18 from 1 Jan 2027; in force until thenifrs.org
IAS 2InventoriesLower of cost / NRV; FIFO or weighted-averageIn forceifrs.org
IAS 7Statement of Cash FlowsOperating/investing/financing cash flowsIn forceifrs.org
IAS 8Accounting Policies, Changes in Accounting Estimates and ErrorsPolicy selection, estimate changes, error correctionIn forceifrs.org
IAS 10Events after the Reporting PeriodAdjusting vs non-adjusting eventsIn forceifrs.org
IAS 12Income TaxesCurrent & deferred taxIn forceifrs.org
IAS 16Property, Plant and EquipmentRecognition, depreciation, revaluationIn forceifrs.org
IAS 19Employee BenefitsPensions, post-employment & other benefitsIn forceifrs.org
IAS 20Accounting for Government Grants and Disclosure of Government AssistanceGovernment grantsIn forceifrs.org
IAS 21The Effects of Changes in Foreign Exchange RatesFX translation, functional/presentation currencyIn forceifrs.org
IAS 23Borrowing CostsCapitalisation of borrowing costs on qualifying assetsIn forceifrs.org
IAS 24Related Party DisclosuresRelated-party relationships & transactionsIn forceifrs.org
IAS 26Accounting and Reporting by Retirement Benefit PlansReporting by pension plans themselvesIn forceifrs.org
IAS 27Separate Financial StatementsAccounting for investments in separate statementsIn forceifrs.org
IAS 28Investments in Associates and Joint VenturesEquity methodIn forceifrs.org
IAS 29Financial Reporting in Hyperinflationary EconomiesRestatement for hyperinflationIn forceifrs.org
IAS 32Financial Instruments: PresentationLiability vs equity, offsettingIn forceifrs.org
IAS 33Earnings per ShareBasic & diluted EPSIn forceifrs.org
IAS 34Interim Financial ReportingContent of interim reportsIn forceifrs.org
IAS 36Impairment of AssetsRecoverable amount, impairment testingIn forceifrs.org
IAS 37Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and Contingent AssetsRecognition/measurement of provisionsIn forceifrs.org
IAS 38Intangible AssetsRecognition, amortisation, R&DIn forceifrs.org
IAS 39Financial Instruments: Recognition and MeasurementLargely superseded by IFRS 9 (residual hedge-accounting option)Mostly supersededifrs.org
IAS 40Investment PropertyCost vs fair value modelIn forceifrs.org
IAS 41AgricultureBiological assets & agricultural produceIn forceifrs.org

Superseded / withdrawn IAS numbers: IAS 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 22, 25, 30, 31, 35 were withdrawn or folded into later standards (e.g. IAS 11 & 18 → IFRS 15; IAS 17 → IFRS 16; IAS 14 → IFRS 8; IAS 22 → IFRS 3). They have no live standalone landing page.

Interpretations (IFRIC / SIC)

BodyWhat it isStatus
IFRICInterpretations issued by the IFRS Interpretations Committee (post-2002) clarifying how to apply standards (e.g. IFRIC 1, 12, 14, 16, 21, 23)Several in force; some withdrawn when absorbed into standards
SICLegacy interpretations from the Standing Interpretations Committee (pre-2002), e.g. SIC-7, SIC-25, SIC-29, SIC-32Mostly superseded; a few remain

The authoritative live list is the IFRS Standards Navigator.

Key requirements — IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers

Core principle: recognise revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services in an amount reflecting the consideration the entity expects to be entitled to. The 5-step model:

StepRequirementRef.Source
1 — Identify the contractAccount for a contract only when collection is probable and the 5 criteria are metIFRS 15.9ifrs.org
2 — Identify performance obligationsIdentify each distinct good/service (or series) promisedIFRS 15.22–.30ifrs.org
3 — Determine the transaction priceEstimate consideration incl. variable consideration, financing, non-cash, payable-to-customerIFRS 15.47ifrs.org
4 — Allocate the transaction priceAllocate based on relative stand-alone selling pricesIFRS 15.73ifrs.org
5 — Recognise revenueRecognise when (or as) control transfers — over time or at a point in timeIFRS 15.31 / .35 / .38ifrs.org
Contract costsCapitalise incremental costs to obtain & costs to fulfil a contractIFRS 15.91–.95ifrs.org

Paragraph references are indicative; confirm against the standard text. IFRS 15 is the origin of the converged ASC 606 revenue model.

Key requirements — IFRS 16 Leases

Single lessee model: nearly all leases go on-balance-sheet. (Lessor accounting retains the IAS 17-style finance/operating split.)

Key pointRequirementRef.Source
Single lessee modelLessee recognises a right-of-use (ROU) asset and a lease liability for all leasesIFRS 16.22ifrs.org
Initial liabilityLease liability = PV of lease payments at the rate implicit in the lease or the incremental borrowing rateIFRS 16.26ifrs.org
Initial ROU assetROU asset = liability + prepaid payments + initial direct costs + restoration costsIFRS 16.23–.24ifrs.org
Subsequent measurementROU asset depreciated; liability accreted at interest and reduced by paymentsIFRS 16.29–.38ifrs.org
Recognition exemptionsOptional exemption for short-term (≤12 months) and low-value-asset leasesIFRS 16.5–.8ifrs.org
Identifying a leaseA contract is/contains a lease if it conveys the right to control use of an identified asset for a periodIFRS 16.9ifrs.org

The single on-balance-sheet model is the key conflict with US GAAP (ASC 842) and Dutch RJ 292, which keep an operating/finance split.

Key requirements — IAS 2 Inventories

Key pointRequirementRef.Source
Measurement basisLower of cost and net realisable value (NRV)IAS 2.9ifrs.org
Cost componentsPurchase costs + conversion costs + other costs to bring to present location/conditionIAS 2.10ifrs.org
Cost formulasFIFO or weighted-average for interchangeable items (LIFO prohibited)IAS 2.25ifrs.org
Specific identificationFor items not ordinarily interchangeableIAS 2.23ifrs.org
Write-down reversalReverse a prior write-down (capped at original) when NRV recoversIAS 2.33ifrs.org

The LIFO prohibition is the key conflict with US GAAP, which permits LIFO.

Key requirements — IAS 1 → IFRS 18 (Presentation)

IAS 1 governs presentation for periods beginning before 1 Jan 2027; IFRS 18 replaces it from 1 Jan 2027 (early application permitted; subject to EU endorsement).

Key pointRequirementSource
Complete set of statementsStatement of financial position; P&L and OCI; changes in equity; cash flows (IAS 7); notesIAS 1
Going concern / accrualStatements prepared on a going-concern and accrual basisIAS 1
IFRS 18 — P&L categoriesClassify income/expenses into operating, investing, financing (plus income-tax and discontinued-operations)IFRS 18
IFRS 18 — required subtotalsPresent two defined subtotals: operating profit and profit before financing and income taxesIFRS 18
IFRS 18 — MPMsDisclose management-defined performance measures in a single audited note with reconciliationIFRS 18
IFRS 18 — aggregationEnhanced principles for grouping items and the primary-statements-vs-notes decisionIFRS 18

Sources