International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) are a set of accounting standards developed and maintained by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). They are designed to provide a common global language for financial reporting, ensuring that financial statements are comparable, transparent, and reliable across different jurisdictions and industries. Here's an overview of IFRS: Objective: The primary objective of IFRS is to provide a framework for the preparation and presentation of financial statements that provide useful information to users for making economic decisions. IFRS aims to enhance transparency, comparability, and reliability in financial reporting. Applicability: IFRS is used by many countries around the world as the basis for preparing financial statements of public companies. While some countries have adopted IFRS as their national accounting standards, others have converged their local standards with IFRS or permit the use of IFRS for listed companies. Additionally, multinational companies often use IFRS for their consolidated financial statements to ensure consistency across different jurisdictions. Principles-based Approach: IFRS adopts a principles-based approach to accounting standards, focusing on principles rather than detailed rules. This allows for flexibility in application and enables entities to provide relevant and reliable information that reflects the economic substance of transactions. Standard-setting Process: The IASB, an independent standard-setting body, is responsible for developing and issuing IFRS. The standard-setting process involves extensive consultation with stakeholders, including preparers, auditors, investors, regulators, and standard-setting bodies from different countries. The IASB also works closely with national standard-setters and accounting bodies to promote global convergence in financial reporting. Structure of IFRS: IFRS consists of a series of individual standards and interpretations, each addressing specific aspects of financial reporting. The main standards cover topics such as presentation of financial statements (IAS 1), revenue recognition (IFRS 15), leasing (IFRS 16), financial instruments (IFRS 9), and consolidation (IFRS 10). Additionally, there are interpretations (IFRIC) and framework documents that provide guidance on complex accounting issues. Continuous Development: IFRS is subject to continuous review and improvement to ensure its relevance and effectiveness in addressing emerging issues in financial reporting. The IASB regularly updates and issues new standards or amendments to existing standards in response to changes in business practices, economic environments, and regulatory requirements. Benefits of IFRS: The adoption of IFRS brings several benefits, including improved comparability of financial statements across jurisdictions, enhanced transparency and disclosure, increased investor confidence, and reduced costs for multinational companies operating in multiple jurisdictions. Overall, IFRS plays a crucial role in promoting high-quality financial reporting, facilitating global capital flows, and fostering economic growth and development by providing a common set of accounting standards that are recognized and accepted worldwide.

The International Financial Reporting Standards are quite different from other sets of accounting standards, and are fundamentally different from US-GAAP, in that they are based on principles, and not on detailed rules. Financial Reporting under IFRS:A topic-based approach offers a global perspective on IFRS by presenting the prescribed rationale and principles and illustrating them through numerous examples from large international companies. It aims to develop the fundamental skills necessary to read and use the information contained in all types of financial statements, through examples, activities, questions and answers. The book is broadly divided into three sections. Section one examines the structure of the Balance Sheet and the Income Statement, their links and the accounting mechanisms used to prepare them. Section two deals with the identification, evaluation and reporting of Balance Sheet items. Section three covers the use of financial statements to analyze a firm’s performance and its risks. Throughout the book special topics are covered, including Derivatives and Hedge accounting (IAS 39), Business Combination (IFRS 3) and Operating Segments (IFRS 8). Financial Reporting under IFRS is ideally suited to the needs of students of accounting and financial reporting, but all users of financial statements, from creditors and investors to suppliers, customers, employees and governments will benefit from its concise, topic-based approach.