BCZ18 The Board decided not to exempt an entity from applying the equity method for accounting for its investments in joint ventures or associates when severe long-term restrictions impaired a joint venture or an associate’s ability to transfer funds to the investor. It did so because such circumstances may not preclude the entity’s joint control of, or significant influence over, the joint venture or the associate. The Board decided that an entity should, when assessing its ability to exercise joint control of, or significant influence over, an investee, consider restrictions on the transfer of funds from the joint venture or from the associate to the entity. In themselves, such restrictions do not preclude the existence of joint control or significant influence.