This page provides access to:

• Questions and Answers (Q&As) that have been generated and agreed to by IACS Members since 1 April 2006; and
• Common Interpretations (CIs) that have been developed by IACS CSR Project Teams.

Explanatory notes:

1. The information contained in this page comes from the IACS CSR Knowledge Centre (KC).
2. For each set of CSRs there is one main Excel file containing full texts of the agreed Q&As and CIs, and where there are separate attachments.
3. The intent of publishing the IACS Knowledge Center Questions and Answers (Q&A) and Common Interpretations is to document, and share with industry stakeholders, information on the intent, clarification, or possible direction of rule changes in response to questions raised. This information may also be useful for users, who have a question on a particular subject, since a similar question may have already been asked and answered.
4. The answers given may include (a) a simple explanation, (b) a Clarification or Common Interpretation, or, (c) an indication of a possible future rule change. Common Interpretations (CI) are defined as ‘explanations to achieve a common understanding of the requirements of CSRs in line with the intent of the CSRs. If the reply includes a Clarification or Common Interpretation, an effective application date is indicated. The published Rules (including Rule Change Notices, if any), Clarifications or Common Interpretations (with an effective date), are the only requirements that are to be considered in force . Simple, explanatory answers, or indication of a possible rule change should not be taken as “rule changes” or updates to the published rules.
5. Explanatory answers, and indications of possible future rule changes, are given to explain how a rule is to be applied, what it means, or the intent behind the rule – but these are not rule changes, per se. Users are cautioned that they should not apply an identified “possible rule change” in advance of it actually being adopted by IACS as an amendment to the CSR.