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ARTICLE · 17 MARCH 2015

A New Era For Irish Merger Control Law

Mason Hayes & Curran LLP
Mason Hayes & Curran LLP
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The Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014 significantly alters the Irish and merger control landscape.

IrelandAntitrust/Competition Law
Maureen O'Neill
Maureen O'Neill
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The Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014 significantly alters the Irish and merger control landscape.

Significant changes to Ireland's merger control regime at the end of last year have already had an impact on the number and type of transactions being notified to the new Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (the "Commission"). Transactions are now more likely to be subject to onerous notification requirements and longer review periods.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014 (the "Act") entered into force on 31 October 2014, creating a new agency that amalgamates the former Competition Authority and the National Consumer Agency. The Act also introduced new thresholds for determining when a transaction will require competition approval from the Commission to complete the transaction.

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