(3)Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 July 2002 on the application of international accounting standards(4) (hereinafter: the IAS Regulation) introduced the requirement that, from 2005 onwards, all listed companies prepare their consolidated accounts in accordance with IAS adopted for application within the Community. It also provided an option for Member States to permit or require the application of adopted IAS in the preparation of annual accounts and to permit or require the application of adopted IAS by unlisted companies.