Flying Under The Radar? Ireland’s Revised Merger Thresholds And The CCPC’s Call-in Power

Introduction 

This article provides an overview of the key recent changes to the merger notification regime in Ireland, focusing on the new notification thresholds effective from 1 July 2026, the increased relevance of the CCPC’s call-in powers, and pending changes to the media merger regime. 

Current Notification Thresholds

Under section 18(1)(a) of the Competition Act 2002 (as amended) (the “2002 Act”), a mandatory merger notification to the CCPC is triggered if, in the most recent financial year, both the following financial thresholds are met: 

1. Aggregate Turnover: Combined turnover in the State of all the undertakings involved is not less than €60,000,000; and
2. Individual Turnover: The turnover in the State of each of two or more of the undertakings involved is not less than €10,000,000.