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Employee benefits - Reconciliation of net liabilities recognized in the statement of financial position (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2020 | Dec. 31, 2019
Overfunded pension plans |  |
Reconciliation of net liabilities recognized in the statement of financial position |  |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at beginning of the year | $ 1,298 | $ 1,220
Interest income | 74 | 110
Changes on asset ceiling and onerous liability | (278) | 59
Translation adjustment | 1,172 | (91)
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at end of the year | 2,266 | 1,298
Overfunded pension plans | Brazil |  |
Reconciliation of net liabilities recognized in the statement of financial position |  |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at beginning of the year | 1,298 | 1,220
Interest income | 74 | 110
Changes on asset ceiling and onerous liability | (278) | 59
Translation adjustment | 1,172 | (91)
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at end of the year | 2,266 | 1,298
Overfunded pension plans | Present value of actuarial liabilities |  |
Reconciliation of net liabilities recognized in the statement of financial position |  |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at beginning of the year | 4,006 | 3,577
Interest income | 222 | 305
Translation adjustment | (880) | (167)
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at end of the year | 3,105 | 4,006
Overfunded pension plans | Present value of actuarial liabilities | Brazil |  |
Reconciliation of net liabilities recognized in the statement of financial position |  |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at beginning of the year | 4,006 |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at end of the year | 3,105 | 4,006
Overfunded pension plans | Fair value of assets |  |
Reconciliation of net liabilities recognized in the statement of financial position |  |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at beginning of the year | (5,304) | (4,737)
Interest income | 298 | 416
Translation adjustment | (1,112) | (200)
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at end of the year | (3,969) | (5,304)
Overfunded pension plans | Fair value of assets | Brazil |  |
Reconciliation of net liabilities recognized in the statement of financial position |  |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at beginning of the year | (5,304) |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at end of the year | (3,969) | (5,304)
Overfunded pension plans | Effect of the asset ceiling |  |
Reconciliation of net liabilities recognized in the statement of financial position |  |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at beginning of the year | 1,298 |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at end of the year | 864 | 1,298
Overfunded pension plans | Effect of the asset ceiling | Brazil |  |
Reconciliation of net liabilities recognized in the statement of financial position |  |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at beginning of the year | 1,298 |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at end of the year | 864 | 1,298
Underfunded pension plans |  |
Reconciliation of net liabilities recognized in the statement of financial position |  |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at beginning of the year | 695 |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at end of the year | 641 | 695
Current liabilities | (47) | (13)
Non-current liabilities | (594) | (682)
Liabilities | (641) | (695)
Underfunded pension plans | Brazil |  |
Reconciliation of net liabilities recognized in the statement of financial position |  |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at beginning of the year | 249 |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at end of the year | 208 | 249
Current liabilities | (32) | (7)
Non-current liabilities | (176) | (242)
Liabilities | (208) | (249)
Underfunded pension plans | Foreign |  |
Reconciliation of net liabilities recognized in the statement of financial position |  |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at beginning of the year | 446 |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at end of the year | 432 | 446
Current liabilities | (7) | (6)
Non-current liabilities | (425) | (440)
Liabilities | (432) | (446)
Underfunded pension plans | Present value of actuarial liabilities |  |
Reconciliation of net liabilities recognized in the statement of financial position |  |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at beginning of the year | 4,421 | 3,929
Interest income | 134 | 153
Translation adjustment | 1 | 160
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at end of the year | 4,632 | 4,421
Underfunded pension plans | Present value of actuarial liabilities | Brazil |  |
Reconciliation of net liabilities recognized in the statement of financial position |  |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at beginning of the year | 412 |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at end of the year | 317 | 412
Underfunded pension plans | Present value of actuarial liabilities | Foreign |  |
Reconciliation of net liabilities recognized in the statement of financial position |  |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at beginning of the year | 4,009 |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at end of the year | 4,315 | 4,009
Underfunded pension plans | Fair value of assets |  |
Reconciliation of net liabilities recognized in the statement of financial position |  |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at beginning of the year | (3,726) | (3,273)
Interest income | 109 | 123
Translation adjustment | 46 | 139
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at end of the year | (3,992) | (3,726)
Underfunded pension plans | Fair value of assets | Brazil |  |
Reconciliation of net liabilities recognized in the statement of financial position |  |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at beginning of the year | (163) |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at end of the year | (109) | (163)
Underfunded pension plans | Fair value of assets | Foreign |  |
Reconciliation of net liabilities recognized in the statement of financial position |  |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at beginning of the year | (3,563) |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at end of the year | (3,883) | (3,563)
Other benefits |  |
Reconciliation of net liabilities recognized in the statement of financial position |  |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at beginning of the year | 1,504 |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at end of the year | 1,733 | 1,504
Current liabilities | (96) | (76)
Non-current liabilities | (1,637) | (1,428)
Liabilities | (1,733) | (1,504)
Other benefits | Brazil |  |
Reconciliation of net liabilities recognized in the statement of financial position |  |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at beginning of the year | 303 |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at end of the year | 465 | 303
Current liabilities | (49) | (20)
Non-current liabilities | (416) | (283)
Liabilities | (465) | (303)
Other benefits | Foreign |  |
Reconciliation of net liabilities recognized in the statement of financial position |  |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at beginning of the year | 1,202 |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at end of the year | 1,268 | 1,202
Current liabilities | (47) | (46)
Non-current liabilities | (1,221) | (1,156)
Liabilities | (1,268) | (1,202)
Other benefits | Present value of actuarial liabilities |  |
Reconciliation of net liabilities recognized in the statement of financial position |  |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at beginning of the year | 1,505 | 1,280
Interest income | 64 | 59
Translation adjustment | (44) | 42
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at end of the year | 1,733 | 1,505
Other benefits | Present value of actuarial liabilities | Brazil |  |
Reconciliation of net liabilities recognized in the statement of financial position |  |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at beginning of the year | 303 |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at end of the year | 465 | 303
Other benefits | Present value of actuarial liabilities | Foreign |  |
Reconciliation of net liabilities recognized in the statement of financial position |  |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at beginning of the year | 1,202 |
Benefit obligation (Plan assets) as at end of the year | $ 1,268 | $ 1,202

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- Definition The amount of current provisions for employee benefits. [Refer: Provisions for employee benefits] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 1 -IssueDate 2020-01-01 -Paragraph 78 -Subparagraph d -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=1&code=ifrs-tx-2020-en-r&anchor=para_78_d&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2020-01-01 + Details
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- Definition Line items represent concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes of the table. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The decrease (increase) in the net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from the gain (loss) on changes in the effect of limiting a net defined benefit asset to the asset ceiling, excluding amounts included in interest income or expense. [Refer: Interest income; Net defined benefit liability (asset); Interest expense (income), net defined benefit liability (asset)] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 19 -IssueDate 2020-01-01 -Paragraph 141 -Subparagraph c -Clause iv -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=19&code=ifrs-tx-2020-en-r&anchor=para_141_c_iv&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2020-01-01 + Details
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- Definition The increase (decrease) in the net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from changes in foreign exchange rates. [Refer: Net defined benefit liability (asset)] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 19 -IssueDate 2020-01-01 -Paragraph 141 -Subparagraph e -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=19&code=ifrs-tx-2020-en-r&anchor=para_141_e&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2020-01-01 + Details
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- Definition The increase (decrease) in the net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from the passage of time. [Refer: Interest expense; Net defined benefit liability (asset)] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 19 -IssueDate 2020-01-01 -Paragraph 141 -Subparagraph b -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=19&code=ifrs-tx-2020-en-r&anchor=para_141_b&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2020-01-01 + Details
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- Definition The amount of deficit or surplus in a defined benefit plan, adjusted for any effect of limiting a net defined benefit asset to the asset ceiling. [Refer: Defined benefit plans [member]] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 19 -IssueDate 2020-01-01 -Paragraph 140 -Subparagraph a -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=19&code=ifrs-tx-2020-en-r&anchor=para_140_a&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2020-01-01 + Details
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- Definition The amount of non-current provisions for employee benefits. [Refer: Provisions for employee benefits] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 1 -IssueDate 2020-01-01 -Paragraph 78 -Subparagraph d -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=1&code=ifrs-tx-2020-en-r&anchor=para_78_d&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2020-01-01 + Details
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- Definition The amount of provisions for employee benefits. [Refer: Employee benefits expense; Provisions] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 1 -IssueDate 2020-01-01 -Paragraph 78 -Subparagraph d -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=1&code=ifrs-tx-2020-en-r&anchor=para_78_d&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2020-01-01 + Details
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