By Bébhinn Egan, 7th January 2026
At their quarterly stakeholders meeting this morning, the CRO announced several important updates that will affect company compliance and filing requirements in the coming months. Here’s what you need to know.
Involuntary Strike-Offs to Be Fast-Tracked
The CRO is moving to speed up its involuntary strike-off process for non-compliant companies. A tender has been issued for bulk printing and postage services, signalling that enforcement action against companies failing to meet their statutory obligations will be ramped up in 2026. If your company has outstanding filings or compliance issues, now is the time to address them before you find yourself on the strike-off list.
Strong Compliance for September Year-End Filers
There’s some positive news on the compliance front. An impressive 94% of companies with a 30th September Annual Return Date (ARD) filed their returns on time. The CRO is currently processing returns for companies with October and November ARDs, so if you’re in that cohort, expect your filings to be reviewed shortly.
New Forms for Limited Partnerships
Effective immediately, the CRO has introduced new forms for Limited Partnerships (LPs). If you’re filing on behalf of an LP, make sure you’re using the updated forms to avoid processing delays or rejections.
RBO Filings Up 9% in 2025
Beneficial ownership transparency continues to gain momentum. RBO (Register of Beneficial Ownership) filings increased by 9% in 2025, with 89,000 submissions recorded. Compliance stands at a respectable 88%, but there’s still work to be done.
Looking ahead, companies must prepare for a significant change: legitimate interest access to the RBO must be provided for by 10th July 2026, as required under the Anti-Money Laundering 6th Directive (AML6D). This means that certain third parties with a legitimate interest will be able to request access to beneficial ownership information. Ensure your RBO filings are up to date and accurate well ahead of this deadline.
VIF Form Updated
The CRO has updated the Verification of Identity Form (VIF). While the new form is now in effect, the CRO will continue to honour submissions on the old form for a transitional period. We recommend switching to the updated version as soon as possible to avoid any issues down the line.
EU Directives on the Horizon
The CRO is working to implement several EU directives that will impact financial reporting and transparency requirements:
- iXBRL (Inline eXtensible Business Reporting Language) must be implemented before the CRO can roll out the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). This will eventually require companies to file structured financial data in a machine-readable format.
- The European Single Access Point (ESAP) is also on the horizon. This centralised platform will provide free access to publicly available financial and sustainability information from companies across the EU. Implementation is expected later this decade, but it will fundamentally change how company information is accessed and shared across member states.
Stay Ahead of the Changes
With enforcement tightening, new forms in effect, and significant EU directives on the way, staying on top of your compliance obligations has never been more important. If you have questions about any of these updates or need assistance with your filings, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Disclaimer: This article is for guidance purposes only. It does not constitute legal or professional advice. No liability is accepted by Company Bureau for any action taken or not taken in reliance on the information set out in this article. Professional or legal advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from any action as a result of this article. Any and all information is subject to change.
