code: public static NumberFormat getNumberFormat(final Element element) {
  		if (XMLTags.FORMAT.equals(element.getName())) {
  			return createNumberFormat(element);
  		}
  		Element child = element.getChild(XMLTags.FORMAT);
  		if (child != null) {
  			return createNumberFormat(child);
  		}
  		return getNumberFormat(element.getParentElement());
  	}
docs: Searches for a format element in the given element. If none is found the XML tree hierarchy
  is searched upwards unto the root. If this is the case the default format object is returned.