The CCPC has advocated for an increase to mandatory merger notification thresholds. This, in conjunction with the CCPC’s power to call-in mergers under the mandatory thresholds, will “allow it to focus on mergers which may impact competition in markets across Ireland”. It will also reduce regulatory burdens and costs for businesses engaged in deals which clearly will not impact competition. 

Currently, a notification must be made to the CCPC if the aggregate turnover of the businesses involved in the deal is €60 million or more and if the turnover of at least two of the individual businesses involved is €10m or more. 

Under the new rules, the aggregate turnover threshold will rise to €100m, and the individual businesses threshold will rise to €15m or more. 

The revised merger thresholds relate to the turnover of undertakings in the most recent financial year. 

For mergers being contemplated, the impact of the increased thresholds is: 

• For mergers in which the combined turnover of the undertakings involved falls below €60 million combined, and €10 million individually, nothing will change following 1 July 2026. These mergers are currently not notifiable to the CCPC, and this will remain the case post 1 July.
• For mergers in which the combined turnover of the undertakings involved falls above €100 million combined, and €15 million individually, nothing will change following 1 July 2026. These mergers are currently notifiable to the CCPC, and this will remain the case post 1 July.
• In cases where the combined turnover of the undertakings involved falls between €60 million and €100 million, and between €10 million and €15 million individually, these mergers will be impacted by the revised increase in the merger thresholds, effective from 1 July 2026. Merging parties can choose to notify their merger to the CCPC before 1 July or choose to not notify the merger after 1 July. Merging parties cannot implement the merger before 1 July without obtaining clearance from the CCPC.
• Mergers which have already been notified to the CCPC will not be impacted.

Geoffrey Gray, commission member, said: “The current merger notifications have been in place since 2019, when we had 47 merger notifications. By 2025, this number had doubled. 

“The increase is driven by several factors including inflation, which has meant that some deals now need to be notified that didn’t before, increasing regulatory burden on businesses. We welcome the revised merger thresholds, which will allow the CCPC to focus on high-value mergers that may impact markets.”