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Translation of our material is a vital part of achieving our mission to develop a single set of high-quality global accounting standards for use around the world.

To further this mission we have a Translation, Adoption and Copyright (TAC) team responsible for supporting the translation process and arranging copyright permissions and licensing for any reproduction of translations.

These are the most common questions about official translations of IFRS material. Contact the team for help with any further questions.

  • High-quality translations are essential for successful implementation of IFRS Standards.
  • IFRS Standards are technical documents that require expert input to ensure that the resulting translation is accurate and appropriate for all countries that speak that particular language.
  • In line with the Foundation's mission to develop a single set of high-quality standards, only one translation per language is permitted to avoid endangering comparability, transparency, and the long-term sustainability of high quality translations.
  • The IFRS Foundation owns the copyright to all material it produces and all translations. Permission must be obtained before translating and/or reproducing any IFRS material.

  1. Professional translation
  2. Review by a committee of experts

A TAC team project manager is assigned to each language to act as key support and contact. That manager:

  • Reviews and approves the composition of the review committee, including the coordinator.
  • Reviews and monitors the translation process together with the coordinator of the committee.
  • Provides advice on translation best practice and guidance on using computer-assisted translation (CAT) software.
  • Provides files for translation or review and any available reference material.
  • Liaises between the review committee and the International Accounting Standards Board's technical staff in case of any clarification needed on the original English text.

The Foundation owns and controls all intellectual property rights in the IFRS Standards in English and all other languages and therefore has the exclusive rights to reproduce, or authorise others to translate and reproduce its materials.

In order to maintain control of its intellectual property, the Foundation will require a translating body to assign the copyright of the translated IFRS Standards to the Foundation. This will enable the Foundation to maintain control over the translation to ensure there is a single, high-quality version in each language, provide the translation to other adopting jurisdictions that speak the same language and maintain the translation in case the translating body is not able to continue its relationship with the Foundation.

  1. Read and familiarise yourself with the Licensing Policy for Translation and Reproduction of IFRS Standards for Adoption.
  2. Contact the TAC team to discuss the proposed translation and the relevant contract.
  3. Enter into an agreement with the IFRS Foundation. The IFRS Foundation's copyrighted material may not be translated without express permission.
  4. Set up a review committee and arrange translators. The IFRS Foundation recommends the use of professional translators who will be able to make use of computer-assisted translation software. The relevant project manager from the TAC team will provide support in this process and will formally approve the review committee membership. 
  5. Obtain materials from the IFRS Foundation. Once the agreement is in place, the relevant project manager from the TAC team will provide you with the relevant materials for translation.

Please contact the TAC team to discuss your requirements and put the appropriate copyright permissions in place.