Ireland’s Evolving Merger Control Landscape: What Dealmakers Need to Know

New CCPC Merger Notification Thresholds and Call-In Powers from 1 July 2026

Ireland’s merger control regime is undergoing important updates as there has been an increase in the monetary merger notification thresholds, the first since 2019. For businesses and investors, this alters how merger control risk must be assessed and managed in transactions involving an Irish dimension.

Key Developments

New financial thresholds for mandatory notification to the CCPC will apply from 1 July 2026. Increasing to at least €100 million aggregate Irish turnover for the undertakings involved in the transaction and at least €15 million in Irish turnover for each undertaking.

This will remove the need for mandatory notification for many transactions which were previously notifiable. However, it remains important to note that the CCPC maintains its power to require notification of below-threshold transactions using its statutory call-in power, which was introduced in 2023. As a result, transaction risk is not determined solely by turnover thresholds and as such consideration should be given to voluntary notification.

Background

The CCPC has been facing rising numbers in compulsory merger notifications year on year. Coupled with rising inflation bringing more transactions within the mandatory notification thresholds.

The increase of the threshold reduces the compliance burden on smaller transactions and allows the CCPC to focus resources on more complex or higher-risk cases. These changes are expected to reduce the volume of mandatory filings, particularly for transactions with limited Irish nexus or competitive overlap.

Practical Implications for Dealmakers

• Parties must consider whether they fall within notification threshold at the early stages of the transaction and plan accordingly.
• Where the transaction fall below the thresholds, parties must still consider market concentration, overlaps, and the strategic importance of assets such as data or technology, as these factors can increase the likelihood of the CCPC exercising its call-in power.
• All analysis of CCPC call-in risk should be recorded and transaction documents should address potential CCPC intervention.
• In some cases, parties may consider engaging with the CCPC or making a voluntary notification to obtain certainty.

Conclusion

The increase in Ireland’s merger notification thresholds represents a welcome reduction in the regulatory burden for smaller transactions. However, the CCPC’s call-in powers mean that parties cannot rely solely on turnover thresholds when assessing merger control risk. Dealmakers should continue to conduct a thorough competition law analysis at an early stage of every transaction, ensuring that potential regulatory issues are identified, documented, and appropriately managed. As the Irish merger control regime continues to evolve, careful planning and proactive risk assessment will remain essential to achieving transaction certainty and avoiding unexpected regulatory intervention.

For further information contact Elaine McGrath emcgrath@reddycharlton.ie