Article 4
Conditions for the acceptance of third country accounting standards for a limited period
Third country issuers may be permitted to use financial statements drawn up in accordance with the accounting standards of a third country in order to comply with obligations under Directive 2004/109/EC and, by derogation from Article 35(5) of Regulation (EC) No 809/2004, to provide historical financial information under that Regulation for a period commencing any time after 31 December 2008 and expiring no later than 31 March 2016 in the following cases:
the third country authority responsible for the national accounting standards concerned has made a public commitment to converge these standards with International Financial Reporting Standards at the latest by 31 March 2016 and both the following conditions are met:
the third country authority responsible for the national accounting standards concerned has established a convergence programme that is comprehensive and capable of being completed before 31 March 2016;
the convergence programme is effectively implemented, without delay, and the resources necessary for its completion are allocated to its implementation;
the third country authority responsible for the national accounting standards concerned has made a public commitment to adopt International Financial Reporting Standards before 31 March 2016 and effective measures are taken in the third country to secure their timely and complete implementation by that date.