The IFRS Interpretations Committee (Committee) discussed the following matter and tentatively decided not to add a standard-setting project to the work plan. The Committee will reconsider this tentative decision, including the reasons for not adding a standard-setting project, at a future meeting. The Committee invites comments on the tentative agenda decision. All comments will be on the public record and posted on our website unless a respondent requests confidentiality and we grant that request. We do not normally grant such requests unless they are supported by good reason, for example, commercial confidence.
Tentative Agenda Decision
The Committee received a request about how to account for the third programme of the targeted longer-term refinancing operations (TLTROs) of the European Central Bank (ECB). The TLTROs link the amount a participating bank can borrow and the interest rate the bank pays on each tranche of the operation to the volume and amount of loans it makes to non-financial corporations and households.
The request asks:
- whether the TLTRO III tranches represent loans with a below-market interest rate and, if so, whether the borrowing bank is required to apply IFRS 9 or IAS 20 to account for the benefit of the below-market interest rate;
- if the bank applies IAS 20 to account for the benefit of the below-market interest rate:
- how it assesses in which period(s) it recognises that benefit; and
- whether, for the purpose of presentation, the bank adds the amount of the benefit to the carrying amount of the TLTRO III liability;
- how the bank calculates the applicable effective interest rate;
- whether the bank applies paragraph B5.4.6 of IFRS 9 to account for changes in estimated cash flows resulting from the revised assessment of whether the conditions attached to the liability have been met; and
- how the bank accounts for changes in cash flows related to the prior period that result from the bank’s lending behaviour or from changes the ECB makes to the TLTRO III conditions.
Applying the requirements in IFRS Standards
The Committee observed that IFRS 9 is the starting point for the borrowing bank to determine its accounting for TLTRO III transactions because each financial liability arising from the bank’s participation in a TLTRO III tranche is within the scope of IFRS 9. The bank:
- determines whether it bifurcates any embedded derivatives from the host contract as required by paragraph 4.3.3 of IFRS 9;
- initially recognises and measures the financial liability, which includes determining the fair value of the financial liability, accounting for any difference between the fair value and the transaction price and calculating the effective interest rate; and
- subsequently measures the financial liability, which includes accounting for changes in the estimates of expected cash flows.
The Committee noted that the questions the request asks are unrelated to the existence of an embedded derivative and, therefore, this agenda decision does not discuss the requirements in IFRS 9 with respect to the separation of embedded derivatives.
Initial recognition and measurement of the financial liability
Applying paragraph 5.1.1 of IFRS 9, at initial recognition a bank measures each TLTRO III tranche at fair value plus or minus transaction costs, if the financial liability is not measured at fair value through profit or loss. A bank therefore determines the fair value of the liability using the assumptions that market participants would use when pricing the financial liability as required by IFRS 13 Fair Value Measurement. The fair value of a financial instrument at initial recognition is normally the transaction price—that is, the fair value of the consideration given or received (paragraphs B5.1.1 and B5.1.2A of IFRS 9). If the fair value at initial recognition differs from the transaction price, paragraph B5.1.1 requires a bank to determine whether a part of the consideration given or received is for something other than the financial liability.
The Committee observed that determining whether an interest rate is a below-market rate requires judgement based on the specific facts and circumstances of the relevant financial liability. Nonetheless, a difference between the fair value of a financial liability at initial recognition and the transaction price might indicate that the interest rate on the financial liability is a below-market rate.
If a bank determines that the fair value of a TLTRO III tranche at initial recognition differs from the transaction price and that the consideration received is for only the financial liability, the bank applies paragraph B5.1.2A of IFRS 9 to account for that difference.
If a bank determines that the fair value of a TLTRO III tranche at initial recognition differs from the transaction price and that the consideration received is for more than just the financial liability, the bank assesses whether that difference represents a government grant as defined in IAS 20. The Committee noted that if the difference represents a government grant, paragraph 10A of IAS 20 applies only to that difference. The bank applies IFRS 9 to account for the financial liability.
Do TLTRO III tranches contain a government grant in the scope of IAS 20?
IAS 20 defines government as referring to ‘government, government agencies and similar bodies whether local, national or international’. IAS 20 also defines government grants as ‘assistance by government in the form of transfers of resources to an entity in return for past or future compliance with certain conditions relating to the operating activities of the entity. They exclude those forms of government assistance which cannot reasonably have a value placed upon them and transactions with government which cannot be distinguished from the normal trading transactions of the entity’.
Paragraph 10A of IAS 20 requires an entity to treat as a government grant the benefit of a government loan at a below-market rate of interest and apply IAS 20 to account for that benefit. The benefit of a below-market interest rate is the difference between the initial carrying amount of the loan determined by applying IFRS 9 and the proceeds received. Paragraphs 7, 12 and 20 of IAS 20 specify requirements for the recognition of government grants in profit or loss.
The Committee observed that TLTRO III tranches would contain a government grant in the scope of IAS 20 only if it were determined that:
- the ECB meets the definition of government in IAS 20;
- the interest rate charged on the TLTRO III tranches is a below-market interest rate; and
- the TLTRO III transactions with the ECB are distinguishable from the borrowing bank’s normal trading transactions.
The Committee observed that making these determinations require judgement based on the specific facts and circumstances. The Committee therefore said it is not in a position to conclude on whether the TLTRO III tranches contain a government grant in the scope of IAS 20.
The Committee acknowledged that judgement may also be required to identify the related costs for which the grants, if any, are intended to compensate. The Committee nonetheless concluded that if the TLTRO III tranches contain a government grant in the scope of IAS 20, the requirements in IAS 20 provide an adequate basis for the bank to determine how to account for that government grant.
Calculating the effective interest rate on initial recognition of the financial liability
For the purpose of measuring financial liabilities, Appendix A to IFRS 9 defines both the amortised cost of a financial liability and the effective interest rate. Calculating the effective interest rate requires an entity to estimate the expected cash flows through the expected life of the financial liability.
In calculating the effective interest rate for a TLTRO III tranche on initial recognition, the question arises as to what to consider in estimating the expected future cash flows and, specifically, whether the expected future cash flows reflect an assessment of whether the bank will satisfy the conditions attached to the liability. The Committee noted that the question of what to consider in estimating the expected future cash flows for the purpose of calculating the effective interest rate is also relevant to fact patterns other than that described in the request. The Committee therefore concluded that considering how to reflect uncertain conditions in calculating the effective interest rate is a broader matter, which it should not analyse solely in the context of TLTRO III tranches. This is because such an analysis could have unintended consequences for other financial instruments, the measurement of which involves similar questions about the application of IFRS Standards. The Committee is therefore of the view that this matter should be considered as part of the post-implementation review of the classification and measurement requirements in IFRS 9, together with similar matters already identified in the first phase of that review.
Subsequent measurement of the financial liability at amortised cost
The contractual terms of the TLTRO III tranches require interest to be settled in arrears on maturity or on early repayment of each tranche. There is therefore only one cash flow on settlement of the instrument.
The original effective interest rate is calculated based on estimated future cash flows at initial recognition as required by IFRS 9. The Committee noted that whether a bank adjusts the effective interest rate over the life of a tranche depends on the contractual terms of the financial liability and the applicable requirements in IFRS 9. Paragraphs B5.4.5 and B5.4.6 of IFRS 9 specify requirements for how an entity accounts for changes in estimated future cash flows.
Paragraph B5.4.5 applies to floating-rate financial liabilities, the estimated future cash flows of which are revised to reflect movements in the market rates of interest. Periodic re-estimations of those cash flows to reflect such movements alter the effective interest rate. IFRS 9 does not elaborate on what is meant by floating rate. However, the Committee observed that a financial instrument with variable contractual cash flows—which can periodically be adjusted to reflect movements in the market rates of interest—is a floating-rate financial instrument.
The Committee also observed that a floating-rate financial instrument may consist of a variable interest rate element, which is reset to reflect movements in the market rates of interest (for example, the ECB rate on the main refinancing operations) plus or minus other elements, which are fixed and therefore not reset to reflect movements in the market rates of interest (for example, the fixed 50 basis points discount given by the ECB on particular TLTRO III tranches for a fixed period).
When considering how to account for changes in cash flow estimates, the Committee noted that paragraph B5.4.5 of IFRS 9 applies only to the variable interest rate element of a floating-rate instrument (as far as it reflects movements in the market rates of interest) and not to other interest rate elements of the instrument (which are typically not reset to reflect movements in the market rates of interest).
Paragraph B5.4.6 of IFRS 9 applies to changes in estimated future cash flows of financial liabilities other than those dealt with in paragraph B5.4.5, irrespective of whether the change arises from a modification or another change in expectations. However, when changes in contractual cash flows arise from a modification, an entity assesses whether those changes result in the derecognition of the financial liability and the initial recognition of a new financial liability by applying paragraphs 3.3.2 and B3.3.6 of IFRS 9.
The Committee considered a situation in which, as a result of a modification that does not result in derecognition or other changes in expected future cash flows, a bank estimates the final repayment cash flow relating to a TLTRO III tranche to be different from that used in determining the carrying amount. In such a situation, the bank adjusts the carrying amount to reflect the modification or other change in expected future cash flows and recognises the difference immediately in profit or loss. The bank therefore makes no adjustment to interest recognised in prior periods.
The Committee also noted that application of paragraph B5.4.6 of IFRS 9 relates to a bank’s estimates of expected future cash flows in calculating the effective interest rate on initial recognition of the financial liability. This is because, applying B5.4.6, the original effective interest rate is used to discount the revised cash flows.
The Committee observed that the question of whether conditions attached to the interest rate should be reflected in the estimates and revisions of expected future cash flows when determining the effective interest rate is part of a broader matter, which it should not analyse solely in the context of TLTRO III tranches. The Committee is therefore of the view that this matter should be considered as part of the post-implementation review of the classification and measurement requirements in IFRS 9, together with similar matters already identified in the first phase of that review.
Disclosure
If a bank determines that the ECB meets the definition of government in IAS 20 and that it has received government assistance from the ECB, the bank needs to provide the information required by paragraph 39 of IAS 20 with respect to government grants and government assistance that does not meet the definition of a government grant.
In addition, given the judgements required and the risks arising from the TLTRO III tranches, a bank needs to consider the requirements in paragraphs 117,122 and 125 of IAS 1 Presentation of Financial Statements, as well as paragraphs 7, 21 and 31 of IFRS 7 Financial Instruments: Disclosures. Those paragraphs require a bank to disclose information that includes its significant accounting policies and the assumptions and judgements that management has made in the process of applying the bank’s accounting policies and that have the most significant effect on the amounts recognised in the financial statements.
Conclusion
The Committee concluded that if the bank determines that the TLTRO III tranches contain a government grant in the scope of IAS 20, the requirements in IAS 20 provide an adequate basis for an entity to determine how to account for that government grant.
With respect to the question of whether conditions attached to the interest rate should be reflected in the estimates and revisions of expected future cash flows when determining the effective interest rate, the Committee concluded that the matters described in the request are part of a broader matter that, in isolation, are not possible to address in a cost-effective manner and should be reported to the Board. The Board should consider this matter as part of the post-implementation review of the classification and measurement requirements in IFRS 9.
For these reasons, the Committee [decided] not to add a standard-setting project to the work plan.
The deadline for commenting on the tentative agenda decision is The deadline for commenting on the tentative agenda decision was 16 August 2021. The Committee will consider all comments received in writing by that date; agenda papers analysing comments received will include analysis only of comments received by that date.
