On November 10, 2016, the EBA published a Report outlining observations from its impact assessment on the implementation of International Financial Reporting Standard 9. The report analyzes the estimated impact of implementing IFRS 9 on firms and assesses the interaction between IFRS 9 and other prudential requirements. The impact assessment was launched in January 2016 on a sample of approximately 50 firms. The implementation efforts by firms (such as the development of processes, systems and models) are ongoing and the EBA expects that implementation measures will continue to evolve until at least the initial application of IFRS 9 from January 1, 2018. The EBA highlights that smaller banks are lagging in preparation compared to larger banks and notes that firms should not underestimate the work required to implement IFRS 9. The EBA is proposing further steps to assist in monitoring the implementation of IFRS 9, including a second exercise on the impact of IFRS 9, ongoing dialogue on the implementation issues outlined in the Report through engagement with the EBA, firms and auditors and considering additional regulatory guidance on the interaction between existing prudential requirements and the applicable accounting framework, including any guidance on transitional arrangements for the application of revised accounting frameworks and clarifications regarding the current RTS for specifying specific credit risk adjustments and general credit risk adjustments.

The Report is available at: http://www.eba.europa.eu/documents/10180/1360107/EBA+Report+on+impact+assessment+of+IFRS9  . 

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