(4) Investments in joint ventures and associates
An associate is an entity over which the Group has significant influence. Significant influence is the power to participate in making decision on the financial and operating policy of the investee but is not control or joint control over those policies.
A joint venture is a joint arrangement whereby the parties that have joint control of the arrangement have rights to net assets relating to the arrangement. Joint control is the contractually agreed sharing of control of an arrangement, which exists only when decisions about the relevant activities require the unanimous consent of the parties sharing control.
The net income of current period and the financial results of the joint ventures and associates are incorporated in these consolidated financial statements using the equity method of accounting, except when the investment is classified as held for sale, in which case it is accounted for in accordance with IFRS 5 Non-current Assets Held for Sale and Discontinued Operations. Under the equity method, an investment in the joint ventures and associates is initially recognized in the consolidated statements of financial position at cost and adjusted thereafter to recognize the Group’s share of the net assets of the joint ventures and associates and any impairment. When the Group’s share of losses of the joint ventures and associates exceeds the Group’s interest in the associate (including any long term interests that, in substance, form part of the entity’s net investment in the associate or joint venture), the Group discontinues recognizing its share of further losses. Additional losses are recognized only to the extent that the Group has incurred legal or constructive obligations or made payments on behalf of the joint ventures and associates.
Any excess of the cost of acquisition over the Group’s share of the net fair value of the identifiable assets, liabilities and contingent liabilities of the joint ventures and associates recognized at the date of acquisition is recognized as goodwill, which is included within the carrying amount of the investment. Any excess of the Group’s share of the net fair value of the identifiable assets, liabilities and contingent liabilities over the cost of acquisition is recognized immediately in net income.
Upon a loss of significant influence over the joint ventures and associates, the Group discontinues the use of the equity method and measures at fair value of any investment that the Group retains in the former joint ventures and associates from the date when the Group loses significant influence. The fair value of the investment is regarded as its fair value on initial recognition as a financial asset in accordance with IAS 39 Financial Instruments; Recognition and Measurement. The Group recognized differences between the carrying amount and fair value in net income and it is included in determination of the gain or loss on disposal of joint ventures and associates. The Group accounts for all amounts recognized in other comprehensive income in relation to that joint ventures and associates on the same basis as would be required if the joint ventures and associates had directly disposed of the related assets or liabilities. Therefore, if a gain or loss previously recognized in other comprehensive income by an associate would be reclassified to net income on the disposal of the related assets or liabilities, the Group reclassifies the gain or loss from equity to net income as a reclassification adjustment.
When the Group’s ownership of interest in an associate or a joint venture decreases but the Group continues to maintain significant influence over an associate or a joint venture, the Group reclassifies to profit or loss the proportion of the gain or loss that had previously been recognized in other comprehensive income relating to that decrease in ownership interest if the gain or loss would be reclassified to profit or loss on the disposal of the related assets or liabilities. Meanwhile, if interest on associate or joint venture meets the definition of non-current asset held for sale, it is accounted for in accordance with IFRS 5.
The requirements of IAS 39 Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement to determine whether there has been a loss event are applied to identify whether it is necessary to recognize any impairment loss with respect to the Group’s investment in the joint ventures and associates. When necessary, the entire carrying amount of the investment (including goodwill) is tested for impairment in accordance with IAS 36 Impairment of Assets as a single asset by comparing its recoverable amount (higher of value in use and fair value less costs to sell) with its carrying amount. Any impairment loss recognized is not allocated to any asset (including goodwill), which forms part of the carrying amount of the investment. Any reversal of that impairment loss is recognized in accordance with IAS 36 to the extent that the recoverable amount of the investment subsequently increases.
The Group continues to use the equity method when an investment in an associate becomes an investment in a joint venture or an investment in a joint venture becomes an investment in an associate. There is no remeasurement to fair value upon such changes in ownership interests.
When a subsidiary transacts with an associate or a joint venture of the Group, profits and losses resulting from the transactions with the associate or joint venture are recognized in the Group’s consolidated financial statements only to the extent of interests in the associate or joint venture that are not related to the Group.