Mergers notified to CCPC climb by 10%
The competition watchdog has reported an increase of almost 10% in the number of mergers notified to it last year.
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) said that two-thirds of the 90 notifications it received last year were dealt with under its Simplified Merger Notification Procedure (SMNP).
Under the SMNP, the CCPC said that it reduced the average working days from notifications to determination to 12.5 from 13.3 the previous year.
Professional services top sector
The commission’s Mergers and Acquisitions Report 2025 showed that it issued 91 determinations last year – including 12 linked to cases carried over from 2024.
Five phase two investigations were concluded, with two deals cleared unconditionally and three were cleared with remedies.
Professional services – including legal, accountancy, consultancy, engineering, and veterinary – was the most prominent sector last year with 14 merger notifications.
Eight media mergers were notified to the CCPC in 2025, compared with three in 2024. Six were cleared unconditionally, and two have been carried over in 2026.
During 2025, the watchdog set up a stand-alone mergers division, putting what it described as “a sharper focus” on merger review, and reflecting the growing complexity of transactions and the need for specialised expertise.
'Reconsider thresholds’
Commission member Úna Butler said that the body hoped to see an increase in the financial thresholds for mandatory notification of mergers, so that it could focus on deals that were more likely to raise competition issues.
“These thresholds were last updated in 2019 and, in light of considerations such as inflation during the intervening time period, the introduction of new merger call-in powers, and the Government’s commitment to reduce regulatory burden on businesses, the CCPC feels now is the time to reconsider the merger thresholds,” she stated.
Under the current rules, a notification must be made to the CCPC if, in the most recent financial year:
- The aggregate turnover in the State of the undertakings involved is not less than €60 million, and
- The turnover in the State of each of two or more of the undertakings involved is not less than €10 million.