2018 saw 98 notifications of mergers and acquisitions to Ireland's Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC). This was an increase of 36% in terms of the number of notifications over the number notified in 2017. The number of notifications in 2018 equalled the highest number of notifications on record for either the CCPC or, its predecessor, the Competition Authority.
EU, Competition & ProcurementPresident Michael D Higgins had signed the "Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2019" into law.
BrexitNew immigration arrangements have been heralded by the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation (the Minister) as a "small change" but one which will make a "big difference" in attracting international talent.
EmploymentAt the end of 2018 and beginning of 2019 there were a number of proposed updates to the PRIIPs regulations. The net result is that a comprehensive review of the PRIIPs Delegated Regulation will take place in 2019. You can read a summary of the recent developments, including those related to the exemption for UCITS, and proposed next steps in this publication.
Asset Management & Investment FundsThis publication contains a summary of the EU Regulation on Packaged Retain and Insurance-based Investment Products (EU 1286/2014) the PRIIPs Regulation which was effective on 1 January 2018.
Asset Management & Investment FundsThe procurement process has commenced for an opportunity for up to 140MW of new high availability technology (envisaged to primarily comprise battery storage) to be contracted with EirGrid by September 2019. PQQ process now open for
Energy & Natural ResourcesWe always said that the Brexit negotiations would go to the wire despite there being a two-year timeline. The Strasbourg meeting on the night of Monday, 11 March, when the UK and the EU tabled various documents may or may not be enough to get the House of Commons to approve the draft Withdrawal Agreement. The EU documents are available here while the UK ones are available here. There was just...
BrexitIf at first you don't succeed…dismiss again? A recent application before the High Court to prevent the dismissal of a senior employee, fired for allegedly making an offensive comment to a female co-worker, captured the media's attention.
EmploymentOn the domestic front, Director General of the CBI, Derville Rowland gave a speech in UCD on the lack gender diversity at senior management in the financial services industry. On the European front, ESMA published an opinion containing a revised set of draft regulatory and implementing technical standards (RTS/ITS) under the Securitisation Regulation. ESMA and EU securities regulators....
Financial RegulationOn the domestic front, it was a relatively busy month. The Government published the Brexit Omnibus Bill, the Deputy Governor of CBI presented a speech at the CBI Insurance Conference and the CBI also published the latest edition of the Intermediary Times. On the European front, the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) has issued Recommendations for the Insurance Sector...
Financial RegulationThere are no updates on the domestic side. However, from a European perspective, it has been a relatively busy month with ESMA publishing updates to its Q&As on the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID II) and Regulation (MiFIR) market structure and transparency topics. ESMA has also clarified the reporting and handling of derivatives data in the case of a no-deal Brexit.
Financial RegulationOn the domestic front, the CBI has issued a Notice of Intention in relation to the location requirement for directors and designated persons of Irish Fund Management Companies; From a European perspective, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published data on exposures of Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) to Commercial Real Estate markets in the EU as of 31st December 2017.
Financial Regulation
