The enforcement of competition law in Ireland is set for
wide-ranging reform as a result of Directive (EU) 2019/1 (known as
“ECN+”), which is due to be transposed
into Irish law by 4 February 2021. The purpose of ECN+ is to make
national competition authorities
(“NCAs”) across the EU more effective
enforcers by ensuring they have the appropriate tools and resources
to enforce EU competition law in a consistent manner within each
Member State. In this briefing we outline the main reforms that
ECN+ will introduce in Ireland and what they will mean for the
future of competition enforcement here.
Overview
Background
In 2003, a de-centralised competition law enforcement system
based on the direct application of the EU competition rules by NCAs
was introduced. Building on the success of that reform, ECN+ has
been introduced with a view to enabling NCAs to become more
effective enforcers of the EU competition rules, in particular by
harmonising to an extent the
