The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has launched a new procedure aimed at resolving competition law investigations more quickly and efficiently. This new Settlement Procedure allows businesses under investigation to admit to a breach of competition law and receive a reduced financial penalty—provided they agree to a streamlined process to wrap up the case.
Since September 2023, the CCPC has had the power to impose significant financial sanctions—up to 10% of a company’s global turnover or €10 million, whichever is higher—if it finds a breach of competition law. The Settlement Procedure offers companies a chance to settle cases earlier, potentially reducing both time and costs for everyone involved.
A Step Toward Faster, Fairer Outcomes
According to Úna Butler, a member of the CCPC:
“The CCPC’s new Settlement Procedure strengthens our ability to effectively and efficiently enforce competition law in Ireland. It gives businesses a clear path to resolve investigations more quickly while still ensuring that breaches are appropriately penalised.”
By encouraging earlier resolutions, the CCPC can focus its resources on other enforcement priorities, while businesses can gain clarity and move on without lengthy legal proceedings.
Who Can Use the Settlement Procedure?
The new approach is available in cases where the CCPC decides to use its administrative enforcement powers. In simple terms, this means civil—not criminal—cases where there’s enough evidence to believe a breach may have happened.
The process is completely voluntary for businesses and entirely at the CCPC’s discretion. Either party can suggest entering into settlement talks, but no one is obligated to do so. And importantly, just because the CCPC is open to discussing settlement doesn’t mean it has a weak case—or that the company is definitely guilty. It’s simply a tool to make enforcement more efficient.
Case-by-Case Decisions
The CCPC will decide whether a case is suitable for settlement based on:
- Whether it has strong enough evidence to issue a formal statement of objections;
- Whether the case is non-criminal;
- And whether settling would save time and resources.
The Commission will keep these factors under review throughout the investigation. In multi-party investigations, if one company enters settlement talks, the CCPC may invite others involved to do the same—without revealing who has started discussions.
Developed With Industry Feedback
This new procedure follows a public consultation held in 2024. Businesses and legal experts provided feedback on how settlement talks should be conducted, what responsibilities companies should have, and how much any financial penalties might be reduced. The CCPC considered this input carefully before finalising the process.
