Foreign currency translation
In preparing the financial statements of each group entity, transactions in currencies other than the entity’s functional currency (foreign currencies) are recognized at the rates of exchange prevailing at the dates of the transactions. At the end of each reporting period, monetary items denominated in foreign currencies are retranslated at the rates prevailing at that date. Non-monetary items carried at fair value that are denominated in foreign currencies are retranslated at the rates prevailing at the date when the fair value was determined. Non-monetary items that are measured in terms of historical cost in a foreign currency are not retranslated.
Exchange differences arising on the settlement of monetary items or on translating monetary items at rates different from those at which they were translated on initial recognition during the period or in previous financial statements are recognized in profit or loss in the period in which they arise.
IAS 21.15 states that an entity may have a monetary item that is receivable from or payable to a foreign operation. An item for which settlement is neither planned nor likely to occur in the foreseeable future is, in substance, a part of the entity’s net investment in that foreign operation. Such monetary items may include long-term receivables or loans. Financial statements that include the foreign operation and the reporting entity, such exchange differences shall be recognized initially in other comprehensive income instead of profit or loss in financial results.
For the purposes of presenting consolidated financial statements, the assets and liabilities of the Group’s foreign operations are translated into euros using exchange rates prevailing at the end of each reporting period. Income and expense items are translated at the average exchange rates for the period. Exchange differences arising, if any, are recognized in other comprehensive income and accumulated in equity (translation reserves).
On the disposal of a foreign operation (i.e., a disposal of the Group’s entire interest in a foreign operation), or a disposal involving loss of control over a subsidiary that includes a foreign operation, all of the exchange differences accumulated in equity in respect of that operation attributable to the owners of the Company are reclassified to profit or loss.