The Competition (Amendment) Act 2022, which came into effect in September 2023, expanded the powers of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) by introducing a number of substantial reforms to Ireland’s competition enforcement framework.

It established a new administrative enforcement regime whereby the CCPC may, through independent adjudication officers and subject to court approval, make decisions concerning alleged breaches of European Union and Irish competition law.

Where breaches are found to have taken place, non-criminal financial sanctions of up to €10 million or 10 per cent of the undertaking’s annual turnover – whichever is greater – can be imposed. 

To give effect to this process, the CCPC has developed and finalised rules and guidelines following a public consultation which opened on 21 November 2025 and closed on 12 January 2026.

In a statement, the CCPC said: “The CCPC is required to operate within the constraints of the Competition (Amendment) Act 2022 in developing these adjudication procedures. The finalised rules and guidelines have been informed by the valuable contributions received through the public consultation, where this was possible within the confines of the statutory framework.

“The rules and guidelines will be effective from today.

“The rules govern the conduct of competition adjudication oral hearings, while the guidelines provide guidance on proceedings once a matter has been referred to an adjudication officer.

“The rules and guidelines align with recognised best practice and provide a clear structure that streamlines procedures and timelines, safeguards fairness, promotes transparency, and ensures consistency for all stakeholders.”