Note 1 - Accounting principles

SpareBank 1 SMN prepares and presents its quarterly accounts in compliance with the Stock Exchange Regulations, Stock Exchange Rules and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) approved by EU, including IAS 34, Interim Financial Reporting. As from 2007 the company accounts are also prepared and presented under IFRS. This entails that investments in associates and subsidiaries are recognised using the cost method. For this reason results recorded by associates and subsidiaries are not included in the parent bank's accounts. 

The quarterly accounts do not include all the information required in a complete set of annual financial statements and should be read in conjunction with the annual accounts for 2013. Further, the Group has in this quarterly report used the same accounting principles and calculation methods as in the latest annual report and accounts, except:

IFRS 10 – Consolidated Financial Statements. This standard deals with defining “subsidiary”, and gives more weight to actual control than earlier rules. Control exists only where and investor has power over relevant activities of the investee, exposure to variable returns, and in addition the ability to use its power to affect the investee’s returns. In cases where loan terms are breached, the Bank will consider whether it has achieved genuine power under IFRS 10. The standard is implemented from 1 January 2014.

IFRS 11 – Joint Arrangements replaces IAS 31 and SIC-13. IFRS 11 removes the opportunity to apply proportional consolidation for jointly-controlled entities. The Bank has considered the effect of the new standard, in particular in relation to the alliance Alliansesamarbeidet SpareBank 1 DA, and concluded that it will not be of essential significance for the Group’s reporting. The standard is implemented from 1 January 2014.

IFRS 12 – Disclosure of Interests in Other Entities. This standard extends the disclosure requirement in next year’s annual accounts as regards investments in subsidiaries, associates, jointly controlled entities and structured entities. The standard is implemented from 1 January 2014.