Commission Regulation (EC) No 1004/2008 of 15 October 2008 amending Regulation (EC) No 1725/2003 adopting certain international accounting standards in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards International Accounting Standard (IAS) 39 and International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) 7 (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2008-10-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: accounting, capital market, financial transaction, information, international standard, standardised accounting system

16.10.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 275/37

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1004/2008

of 15 October 2008

amending Regulation (EC) No 1725/2003 adopting certain international accounting standards in
accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council
as regards International Accounting Standard (IAS) 39 and International Financial Reporting
Standard (IFRS) 7

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002 of
the
European Parliament and of the Council of 19 July 2002 on
the application of international accounting standards (1), and in
particular Article 3(1) thereof,

Whereas:

Article 3(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002.
In
accordance with Commission Decision 2006/505/EC of
14 July 2006 setting up a Standards Advice Review
Group to advise the Commission on the objectivity and
neutrality of the European Financial Reporting Advisory
Group’s (EFRAG’s) opinions (3),
the Standards Advice
Review Group considered EFRAG’s opinion on endorse-
ment and advised the European Commission that it is
well-balanced and objective.

(5)

Regulation (EC) No 1725/2003 should therefore be
amended accordingly.

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

By Commission Regulation (EC) No 1725/2003 of
29 September 2003 (2) certain international standards
and interpretations that existed on 14 September 2002
were adopted.

(6)

Considering the context of the current financial turmoil
and the fact that certain financial
instruments are no
longer traded or related markets have become inactive
or distressed, there is a need to give immediate effect
reclassification of
to the amendments allowing for
certain financial instruments and this Regulation conse­
quently should enter into force as a matter of urgency.

39

(IAS)

financial

standard

accounting

On 13 October 2008,
the International Accounting
Standards Board (IASB) adopted amendments to interna­
tional
financial
instruments: recognition and measurement and interna­
reporting standard (IFRS) 7 financial
tional
instruments: disclosures, hereinafter
to
IAS 39 and IFRS 7’. The amendments to IAS 39 and
IFRS 7 allow the reclassification of certain financial
in
instruments out of
rare
is
considered to be such a rare circumstance which would
justify the use of this possibility by companies.

the category ‘held-for-trading’
crisis

circumstances. The

‘amendments

financial

current

(7)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in
accordance with the opinion of the Accounting Regu­
latory Committee,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

In accordance with the amendments to IAS 39 and IFRS
7, companies should be allowed to reclassify certain
financial instruments as from 1 July 2008.

Article 1

In the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1725/2003, international
accounting standard (IAS) 39 financial instruments: recognition
and measurement and international financial reporting standard
(IFRS) 7 financial instruments: disclosures are amended as set
out in the Annex to this Regulation.

The consultation with the Technical Expert Group (TEG)
the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group
of
(EFRAG) confirms that the amendments to IAS 39 and
IFRS 7 meet the technical criteria for adoption set out in

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following its
publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

(1) OJ L 243, 11.9.2002, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 261, 13.10.2003, p. 1.

(3) OJ L 199, 21.7.2006, p. 33.

L 275/38

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

16.10.2008

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 15 October 2008.

For the Commission

Charlie McCREEVY
Member of the Commission

16.10.2008

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Official Journal of the European Union

L 275/39

ANNEX

INTERNATIONAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS

IAS 39

IFRS 7

Amendments to IAS 39 financial instruments: recognition and measurement

IFRS 7 financial instruments: disclosures

Reproduction allowed within the European Economic Area. All existing rights reserved outside the EEA, with the exception of
the right to reproduce for the purposes of personal use or other fair dealing. Further information can be obtained from the
IASB at www.iasb.org

L 275/40

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

16.10.2008

Reclassification of financial assets (amendments to IAS 39 financial instruments: recognition and measurement
and IFRS 7 financial instruments: disclosures)

Amendments to IAS 39

Paragraph 50 is amended and paragraphs 50B to 50F and 103G are added.

MEASUREMENT

Reclassifications

50

An entity:

(a) shall not reclassify a derivative out of the fair value through profit or loss category while it is held or

issued;

(b) shall not reclassify any financial instrument out of the fair value through profit or loss category if
upon initial recognition it was designated by the entity as at fair value through profit or loss; and

(c) may, if a financial asset is no longer held for the purpose of selling or repurchasing it in the near term
(notwithstanding that the financial asset may have been acquired or incurred principally for the
purpose of selling or repurchasing it in the near term), reclassify that financial asset out of the fair
value through profit or loss category if the requirements in paragraph 50B or 50D are met.

An entity shall not reclassify any financial instrument into the fair value through profit or loss category
after initial recognition.

50B A financial asset to which paragraph 50(c) applies (except a financial asset of the type described in paragraph 50D)

may be reclassified out of the fair value through profit or loss category only in rare circumstances.

50C

If an entity reclassifies a financial asset out of the fair value through profit or loss category in accordance with
paragraph 50B, the financial asset shall be reclassified at its fair value on the date of reclassification. Any gain or
loss already recognised in profit or loss shall not be reversed. The fair value of the financial asset on the date of
reclassification becomes its new cost or amortised cost, as applicable.

50D A financial asset to which paragraph 50(c) applies that would have met the definition of loans and receivables (if
the financial asset had not been required to be classified as held for trading at initial recognition) may be
reclassified out of the fair value through profit or loss category if the entity has the intention and ability to
hold the financial asset for the foreseeable future or until maturity.

50E A financial asset classified as available for sale that would have met the definition of loans and receivables (if it had
not been designated as available for sale) may be reclassified out of the available-for-sale category to the loans and
receivables category if the entity has the intention and ability to hold the financial asset for the foreseeable future
or until maturity.

50F

If an entity reclassifies a financial asset out of the fair value through profit or loss category in accordance with
paragraph 50D or out of the available-for-sale category in accordance with paragraph 50E, it shall reclassify the
financial asset at its fair value on the date of reclassification. For a financial asset reclassified in accordance with
paragraph 50D, any gain or loss already recognised in profit or loss shall not be reversed. The fair value of the
financial asset on the date of reclassification becomes its new cost or amortised cost, as applicable. For a financial
asset reclassified out of the available-for-sale category in accordance with paragraph 50E, any previous gain or loss
on that asset that has been recognised in other comprehensive income in accordance with paragraph 55(b) shall be
accounted for in accordance with paragraph 54.

EFFECTIVE DATE AND TRANSITION

103G

financial assets (Amendments to IAS 39 and IFRS 7),

issued in October 2008, amended
Reclassification of
paragraphs 50 and AG8, and added paragraphs 50B–50F. An entity shall apply those amendments from
1 July 2008. An entity shall not reclassify a financial asset in accordance with paragraph 50B, 50D or 50E
before 1 July 2008. Any reclassification of a financial asset made in periods beginning on or after 1 November
2008 shall take effect only from the date when the reclassification is made. Any reclassification of a financial
asset in accordance with paragraph 50B, 50D or 50E shall not be applied retrospectively to reporting periods
ended before the effective date set out in this paragraph.

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Official Journal of the European Union

L 275/41

In Appendix A Application guidance, paragraph AG8 is amended.

Effective interest rate

AG8 If an entity revises its estimates of payments or receipts, the entity shall adjust the carrying amount of the financial
asset or financial liability (or group of financial instruments) to reflect actual and revised estimated cash flows. The
entity recalculates the carrying amount by computing the present value of estimated future cash flows at the
financial instrument’s original effective interest rate. The adjustment is recognised as income or expense in profit or
loss. If a financial asset is reclassified in accordance with paragraph 50B, 50D or 50E, and the entity subsequently
increases its estimates of future cash receipts as a result of increased recoverability of those cash receipts, the effect
of that increase shall be recognised as an adjustment to the effective interest rate from the date of the change in
estimate rather than as an adjustment to the carrying amount of the asset at the date of the change in estimate.

Amendments to IFRS 7

Paragraph 12 is amended and paragraphs 12A and 44E are added.

SIGNIFICANCE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS FOR FINANCIAL POSITION AND PERFORMANCE

Statement of financial position

Reclassification

12

If the entity has reclassified a financial asset (in accordance with paragraphs 51 to 54 of IAS 39) as one measured:

(a) at cost or amortised cost, rather than fair value; or

(b) at fair value, rather than at cost or amortised cost;

it shall disclose the amount reclassified into and out of each category and the reason for that reclassification.

12A If the entity has reclassified a financial asset out of the fair value through profit or loss category in accordance with
paragraph 50B or 50D of IAS 39 or out of the available-for-sale category in accordance with paragraph 50E of
IAS 39, it shall disclose:

(a) the amount reclassified into and out of each category;

(b) for each reporting period until derecognition, the carrying amounts and fair values of all financial assets that

have been reclassified in the current and previous reporting periods;

(c)

if a financial asset was reclassified in accordance with paragraph 50B, the rare situation, and the facts and
circumstances indicating that the situation was rare;

(d) for the reporting period when the financial asset was reclassified, the fair value gain or loss on the financial
asset recognised in profit or loss or other comprehensive income in that reporting period and in the previous
reporting period;

(e)

for each reporting period following the reclassification (including the reporting period in which the financial
asset was reclassified) until derecognition of the financial asset, the fair value gain or loss that would have been
recognised in profit or loss or other comprehensive income if the financial asset had not been reclassified, and
the gain, loss, income and expense recognised in profit or loss; and

(f)

the effective interest rate and estimated amounts of cash flows the entity expects to recover, as at the date of
reclassification of the financial asset.

EFFECTIVE DATE AND TRANSITION

44E

Reclassification of financial assets (amendments to IAS 39 and IFRS 7), issued in October 2008, amended paragraph
12 and added paragraph 12A. An entity shall apply those amendments from 1 July 2008.