Merger turnover threshold in Ireland raised to €100m

Threshold for businesses planning a merger to notify the State's competition watchdog has been raised from €60m to €100m

From July 1, if firms with a combined turnover of €100m wish to proceed with a merger or acquisition, the deal must be notified to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission. The threshold was €60m up to now. Picture: iStock 

The €60m threshold above which businesses wishing to proceed with a merger or acquisition must notify the State's competition watchdog has been raised to €100m.

The raised threshold comes into effect from July 1 and is being described as a reduction in regulatory burdens.

Currently, if companies with a combined turnover of €60m wish to undergo a merger or acquisition, the deal must be notified to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission CCPC). If the turnover of two of the companies involved is higher than €10m, a similar notification must be made.

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

The CCPC advocated for the new thresholds and welcomed the changes. They said it will allow them to focus on mergers, which may impact competition in markets across Ireland, and will reduce regulatory 

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

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“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.”

The revised merger thresholds relate to the turnover of undertakings in the most recent financial year. The CCPC said the vast majority of mergers and acquisitions raise no concerns, but some deals can reduce competition in a market by creating or strengthening a dominant player and harm consumers through higher prices, reduced choice or less innovation.