Recent Accounting Pronouncements

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Abstract]

Description of New Accounting Pronouncements Not yet Adopted [Text Block]

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Accounting Standards Updates

On March 5, 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-05, “Parent’s Accounting for the Cumulative Translation Adjustment upon Derecognition of Certain Subsidiaries or Groups of Assets within a Foreign Entity or of an Investment in a Foreign Entity (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force).” This ASU amends the FASB’s Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 830, “Foreign Currency Matters,” and ASC 810, “Consolidation,” to address diversity in practice related to the release of cumulative translation adjustments (CTA) into earnings upon the occurrence of certain derecognition events. ASU No. 2013-05 precludes the release of CTA for derecognition events that occur within a foreign entity, unless such events represent a complete or substantially complete liquidation of the foreign entity; however, derecognition events related to investments in a foreign entity result in the release of all CTA related to the derecognized foreign entity, even when a noncontrolling financial interest is retained. ASU No. 2013-05 also amends ASC 805, “Business Combinations,” for transactions that result in a company obtaining control of a business in a step acquisition by increasing an investment in a foreign entity from one accounted for under the equity method to one accounted for as a consolidated investment. For us, ASU No. 2013-05 was effective January 1, 2014, and the adoption of this ASU is not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.