| 2.4 | Associates and Joint Ventures |
An associate is an entity in which the Group has significant influence, but not control or joint control, over its management, including participation in the financial and operating policy decisions.
A joint venture is an arrangement whereby the Group and other parties contractually agree to share control of the arrangement, and have rights to the net assets of the arrangement.
An investment in an associate or a joint venture is accounted for in the consolidated financial statements under the equity method, unless it is classified as held for sale (or included in a disposal group that is classified as held for sale). Under the equity method, the investment is initially recorded at cost, adjusted for any excess of the Group’s share of the acquisition-date fair values of the investee’s identifiable net assets over the cost of the investment (if any). Thereafter, the investment is adjusted for the post acquisition change in the Group’s share of the investee’s net assets and any impairment loss relating to the investment. The Group’s share of the post-acquisition post-tax results of the investees and any impairment losses for the year are recognized in the consolidated statement of income, whereas the Group’s share of the post-acquisition post-tax items of the investees’ other comprehensive income is recognized as other comprehensive income in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income.
When the Group’s share of losses exceeds its interest in the associate or the joint venture, the Group’s interest is reduced to nil and recognition of further losses is discontinued except to the extent that the Group has incurred legal or constructive obligations or made payments on behalf of the investee. For this purpose, the Group’s interest is the carrying amount of the investment under the equity method together with the Group’s long-term interests that in substance form part of the Group’s net investment in the associate or the joint venture.
Unrealized profits and losses resulting from transactions between the Group and its associates and joint venture are eliminated to the extent of the Group’s interest in the investee, except where unrealized losses provide evidence of an impairment of the asset transferred, in which case they are recognized immediately in profit or loss.
If an investment in an associate becomes an investment in a joint venture or vice versa, retained interest is not remeasured. Instead, the investment continues to be accounted for under the equity method.
In all other cases, when the Group ceases to have significant influence over an associate or joint control over a joint venture, it is accounted for as a disposal of the entire interest in that investee, with a resulting gain or loss being recognized in profit or loss. Any interest retained in that former investee at the date when significant influence or joint control is lost is recognized at fair value and this amount is regarded as the fair value on initial recognition of a financial asset.