European Union: M&A/Private Equity

Ireland is raising the financial thresholds for mandatory merger control notifications from July 2026, increasing the combined Irish turnover requirement from €60 million to €100 million and the individual turnover threshold from €10 million to €15 million. This change follows recommendations from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and a public consultation process, with significant implications for transaction notification requirements and regulatory oversight.

Italy's Revenue Agency has issued Resolution No. 7/2026, fundamentally reshaping the VAT treatment of transaction costs in merger leveraged buy-out structures. The ruling addresses whether special purpose vehicles qualify as taxable persons and whether acquisition-related expenses can be classified as deductible preparatory costs, marking a significant departure from previous formalistic interpretations that focused narrowly on shareholding activities.

Die Anwendung der Zinsschranke bei Personengesellschaften wirft erhebliche systematische und praktische Fragen auf. Diese treten besonders deutlich bei Beteiligungen von inländischen Steuerpflichtigen an ausländischen Personengesellschaften hervor, wie sie typischerweise bei internationalen Private Equity Strukturen anzutreffen sind.