(b)Business combinations
On the date of transition to IFRS-EU, 1 January 2004, the Group applied the exception permitted under IFRS 1
“First-time adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards”, whereby only those business combinations performed as from 1 January 2004 have been recognized using the acquisition method. Entities acquired prior to that date were recognized in accordance with accounting prevailing at that time, taking into account the necessary corrections and adjustments at the transition date.
The Group applies the revised IFRS 3 “Business combinations” in transactions made subsequent to 1 January 2010.
The Group applies the acquisition method for business combinations.
The acquisition date is the date on which the Group obtains control of the acquiree.
Business combinations made subsequent to 1 January 2010
The cost of the business combination is calculated as the sum of the acquisition-date fair values of the assets transferred, the liabilities incurred or assumed, equity instruments issued and any additional consideration contingent on future events or the fulfilment of certain conditions, in exchange for control of the acquiree.
The consideration paid excludes all amounts that do not form part of the exchange for the acquired business. Acquisition-related costs are accounted for as expenses when incurred. Share increase costs are recognized as equity when the increase takes place and borrowing costs are deducted from the financial liability when it is recognized.
At the acquisition date the Group recognizes at fair value the assets acquired and liabilities assumed. Liabilities assumed include any contingent liabilities that represent present obligations arising from past events for which the fair value can be reliably measured. The Group also recognizes indemnification assets transferred by the seller at the same time and following the same measurement criteria as the item that is subject to indemnification from the acquired business, taking into consideration, where applicable, the insolvency risk and any contractual limit on the indemnity amount.
This criterion does not include non-current assets or disposal groups of assets which are classified as held for sale, long-term defined benefit employee benefit liabilities, share-based payment transactions, deferred tax assets and liabilities and intangible assets arising from the acquisition of previously transferred rights.
Assumed assets and liabilities are classified and designated for subsequent measurement in accordance with the contractual terms, economic conditions, operating or accounting policies and other factors that exist at the acquisition date, except for leases and insurance contracts.
The excess between the consideration transferred and the value of net assets acquired and liabilities assumed, less the value assigned to non-controlling interests, is recognized as goodwill. Where applicable, any shortfall, after evaluating the consideration transferred, the value assigned to non-controlling interests and the identification and measurement of net assets acquired, is recognized in profit and loss.
When a business combination has been provisionally determined, net identifiable assets have initially been recognized at their provisional value, and any adjustments made during the measurement period have been recorded as if they had been known at that date. Where applicable, comparative figures for the prior year have been restated. Adjustments to the provisional values only reflect information relating to events and circumstances existing at the acquisition date and which, had they been known, would have affected the amounts recognized at that date. Once this period has elapsed, adjustments are only made to initial values when errors must be corrected. Any potential benefits arising from tax losses and other deferred tax assets of the acquiree that have not been recorded as they did not qualify for recognition at the acquisition date, are accounted for as income tax revenue, provided the adjustments were not made during the measurement period.
The contingent consideration is classified in accordance with underlying contractual terms as a financial asset or financial liability, equity instrument or provision. Provided that subsequent changes to the fair value of a financial asset or financial liability do not relate to an adjustment of the measurement period, they are recognized in consolidated profit and loss. The contingent consideration classified, where applicable, as equity is not subject to subsequent change, with settlement being recognized in equity. The contingent consideration classified, where applicable, as a provision is recognized subsequently in accordance with the relevant measurement standard.
Business combinations made prior to 1 January 2010
The cost of the business combination is calculated as the sum of the acquisition-date fair values of the assets transferred, the liabilities incurred or assumed, and equity instruments issued by the Group, in exchange for control of the acquiree, plus any costs directly attributable to the business combination. Any additional consideration contingent on future events or the fulfilment of certain conditions is included in the cost of the combination provided that it is probable that an outflow of resources embodying economic benefits will be required and the amount of the obligation can be reliably estimated. Subsequent recognition of contingent considerations or subsequent variations to contingent considerations is recognized as a prospective adjustment to the cost of the business combination.
Where the cost of the business combination exceeds the Group’s interest in the fair value of the identifiable net assets of the entity acquired, the difference is recognized as goodwill, whilst the shortfall, once the costs of the business combination and the fair values of net assets acquired have been reconsidered, is recognized in profit and loss.