What's New 2020

For updates and news please follow CRO on Twitter and LinkedIn

CURRENT PROCESSING DATES

September

CRO Update On Current Submission Processing Dates as of 18th September 2020

A PDF document outlining current processing dates for the most common submissions, as of 18th September 2020 can be viewed or downloaded below

Processing Dates as of 18th September 2020

CRO Digital Transformation Update

As we approach the proposed go live date, we have been re-evaluating the situation and taking on board the concerns of all stakeholders.

Many are still experiencing difficulties brought about by uncertain working arrangements as we continue to live and work with the impacts of COVID-19.

We have therefore decided to postpone go-live until December after the key peak periods have passed.

We feel this is the best way to ensure that when the new system goes live it will seamlessly provide all the benefits to stakeholders and the Office.

The revised timetable for December go-live will be published in the coming weeks.

CRO Digital Transformation Update Webinar

Over the last two weeks, we hosted the CRO Digital Transformation Update Webinar, showcasing our new system that goes live in 2020. We had huge demand so we've now made the webinar available on our YouTube channel, available at the link below:

bit.ly/2QzAy52

Scroll through the Q&A from both webinars here: https://adobe.ly/3hEc4DI

August

CRO Webinar on Digital Transformation Project

The CRO Webinar to update on the current Digital Transformation Project on Wednesday 19th August at 11am is now oversubscribed. Participants will receive event details soon. We will announce further dates shortly.

CRO Services Update

From Tuesday 4th August CRO will recommence Voluntary Strike-Off processing of H15 Submissions. For further information on VSO requirements please see Leaflet No. 28 under Publications > Information Leaflets on the CRO website.

July

RFS Online Unavailable Today Wednesday 8th July

RFS Online will be unavailable today (Wednesday 8th July) due to scheduled maintenance. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Registrar of Friendly Societies

CRO and RFS Annual Reports 2019

Copies of the CRO Annual Report 2019 and the RFS Annual Report 2019 can be accessed at the links below

2019 CRO Annual Report

2019 RFS Annual Report

June

May

CRO Update Regarding Filing Date for Annual Returns

The Registrar of Companies has decided to extend the current arrangement in relation to the filing of annual returns. The Registrar had announced in March that all annual returns due to be filed by any Company between 18th March and 30th June 2020 would be deemed to have been filed on time if all elements of the annual return were completed and filed by 30th June. Following a review of the situation, the Registrar has now decided to extend this arrangement for a further period until 31st October 2020.

The Registrar has also decided to extend the arrangement in relation to entities (industrial and provident societies, friendly societies and trade unions) that are required to file with the Registry of Friendly Societies until 31st December 2020.

Filing obligations will be deemed to have been met provided that all elements of the relevant returns have been submitted by the aforementioned dates. However, entities are encouraged to file as normal during this period if in a position to do so.

Further information can be found at www.cro.ie, on the CRO Twitter account @CRO_ie or by contacting info@cro.ie



CRO Update On Current Submission Processing Dates as of 29th May

A PDF document outlining current submission processing dates as of 29th May 2020 can be viewed or downloaded here

Processing Dates as of May 29th 2020

April

CRO Update On Services Available as of the 15th of April

A PDF document outlining CRO services available as of 15th April 2020 can be viewed or downloaded here

CRO services available as of 15th April

CRO Update Regarding Post

From Monday 6 th April the CRO Office in Carlow will again be accepting any post delivered through An Post or using the Office’s DX number.

Delivery of documents by hand or courier is not possible at this time.

When posting documents please clearly label the envelope with the relevant section that the enclosed documents relate to.

Update Regarding CRO Services

Due to the restrictions put in place by the government in response to the Covid-19 Pandemic, The CRO Offices are closed. We are offering limited services to the public including company incorporations and receipt of charges. The company search facility www.cro.ie remains operational. The company online filing facility www.core.ie remains operational. Post to Dublin Office will resume from 02/04/20. All post will be date stamped on receipt and stored for processing when the Office re-opens.

We are keeping the situation under constant review and any change in the services available will be publicised on twitter and on our website.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

March

CRO Current Position due to Covid-19 Pandemic

Unfortunately, due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, the CRO is not in a position to process submissions or answer queries at this time. We will endeavour to keep you updated on our position as changes arise. For further updates please continue to check this website or twitter @cro_ie.

Update Regarding Filing of Annual Returns

The Registrar of Companies has decided that all annual returns due to be filed by any Company now and up to 30th June 2020 will be deemed to have been filed on time if all elements of the annual return are completed and filed by that date. This will enable businesses and their financial advisers to focus on the more immediate financial challenges facing them at this time. The situation will be kept under review and the date of 30th of June may be extended depending on the situation as it develops.

If you are due to complete your annual return filing at any time up to 30th June your annual return will be deemed to have been filed on time if you capture the B1 form, upload your financial statements, pay the fee and submit it online and then deliver the signature page as normal to the CRO by that date. You may also complete the filing as normal using Revenue Online Services (ROS) signatures instead of a signature page.

Please continue to file as normal during this period if you are in a position to do so. Annual returns may not be processed within the usual timeframes, however, anything received will be queued and processed as soon as possible.

Further information can be found at www.cro.ie, on our Twitter account @CRO_ie or by phoning 1890 220 226, and some Frequently Asked Questions are listed below.

FAQs Filing with the CRO up to 30th June 2020

My Annual Return is due but I am working from home and cannot get my accounts signed or my signature page signed. What do I do?

The Registrar of Companies has decided that all annual returns due to be filed by any Company now and up to 30th June 2020 will be deemed to have been filed on time if all elements of the annual return are completed and filed by that date.

I have already filed my Annual Return and my signature page is due to be delivered to the CRO next week?

All Annual Return signature pages due to be delivered to the CRO up to the 30 th June 2020 will be treated as received on time if they are received by close of business on 30th June 2020.

Can I still file online?

Please continue to file as normal during this period if you are in a position to do so.

Can I still file and sign with ROS?

You may complete the filing as normal using Revenue Online Services (ROS) signatures instead of a signature page, if you have a ROS signature.

Will processing times be impacted?

Annual returns may not be processed within the usual timeframes, however, anything received will be queued and processed as soon as possible.

What will happen if I still can’t file after 30th June?

The situation will be kept under review and the date of 30th June may be extended depending on the situation at that time.

Where do I get up to date information?

Further information can be found at:

https://twitter.com/cro_ie

https://youtube.com/c/CROIRL

https://linkedin.com/company/cro-ireland/

https://www.cro.ie/About-CRO/Contact-Us/Whats-New

Public Office Closure: Thursday 12th March

CRO Public Office on Gloucester Place Lower, Dublin 1 is closed from Thursday 12th March and remains shut indefinitely.

For further details please see below:

As per Government statements this morning, Ireland now moves from containment to delay phase of the COVID-19 virus. All public facing counters in Offices of the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation including the Companies Registration Office will be closed to the public to limit social contact.



CRO Customers should still be able to access CRO online services www.core.ie and our website to order documents and file submissions.



If customers were planning on hand delivering signature pages on Friday 13th March they should instead post their signature pages and will be considered as received on time if received by close of business on Wednesday 18th March.

February

Friday February 28th

Some customers may be experiencing difficulties with ROS signing, we are currently working to rectify any issues and will update as soon as it is resolved.

Update: 1pm. ROS Signatures now available again. Sorry for any inconvenience caused.

Taking Care of Business

More than 25 State bodies and services will be available to offer free expert advice and information to SMEs, start-ups and entrepreneurs at Taking Care of Business, a free one-stop-shop event taking place on Wednesday, 25th March, in the Printworks Conference Centre, Dublin Castle.



The event runs from 8.15 am to 2pm. Register, free of charge, now at Taking Care of Business. https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/taking-care-of-business-dublin-2020-tickets-90288030931

RFS Cancellations

The Registry of Friendly Societies (RFS) is currently in the process of cancelling the registration of several Trade Unions due to their failure to file returns. The unions will be cancelled on 27th March 2020 unless the outstanding documents are filed.

Migration of Participating Securities Act 2019

The Migration of Participating Securities Act 2019 was commenced on 29th January 2020. Form B90 can be completed in relation to section 10 of the Act. Form B90 has a filing fee of €15. A special resolution can be completed on a G1 form in relation to section 4/5 of the Act. A special resolution has a filing fee of €15.

January

BREXIT



The UK has left the European Union as of January 31st 2020 but with transitionary provisions in place until 31st December 2020. During this period the UK's trading relationship with the EU will remain the same.



The UK will also continue to follow EU rules. During the transition period the UK will remain under the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice and stay within the single market and the customs union. All EU regulations will continue to apply to the UK, including changes made to these regulations during this period.



However thereafter, if no agreement is in place, UK resident directors will be required to comply with section 137 Companies Act 2014. This is the requirement to have an EEA-resident director.

SECTION 137 - BOND WHERE COMPANY HAS NO EEA-RESIDENT DIRECTOR

The requirement to have at least one EEA resident director from a member State does not apply to any company which for the time being holds a bond, in the prescribed form, in force to the value of €25,000 and which provides that in the event of a failure by the company to pay the whole or part of a fine imposed on the company in respect of an offence under the Companies Act 2014 or under the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, there shall become payable under the bond a sum of money for the purpose of same being applied in discharge of the whole or part of the company's liability in respect of any such fine or penalty.



The bond must have a minimum period of validity of two years, commencing no earlier than the occurrence of the event giving rise to the requirement for the bond. The surety under the bond must be a bank, building society, insurance company or credit institution.

Please see Leaflet 17 https://www.cro.ie/Publications/Publications/Information-Leaflets



ALTERNATIVE TO BOND - FORM B67



If, following incorporation, a company applies for and is granted a certificate from the registrar of companies that the company has a real and continuous link with one or more economic activities that are in carried on in the State, that company will be exempted from the requirement to have at least one EEA resident director from the date of the certificate, as long as the certificate remains in force.

Application for this certificate is made on Form B67, and must be accompanied by a statement from the Revenue Commissioners made within two months of the date of the application by a statement that the Revenue Commissioners have reasonable grounds to believe that the company has such a link.



Please see link to Form B67 https://www.cro.ie/Publications/Company-Forms



https://www.cro.ie/Registration/Company/Incidental-Obligations/Company-Officers



I have an UK external company branch registered with the CRO. Do I have to re-register?

No. If the UK leaves the European Union without any deal in place, the external company will now be subject to filing annual returns with the CRO under the non-EEA country legislation however. Section 1304 Companies Act 2014 applies in relation to the submission of any changes in the company’s information. Sections 1305/1306 Companies Act 2014 applies with regards to the annual returns.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2014/act/38/section/1305/enacted/en/html#sec1305

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2014/act/38/section/1306/enacted/en/html#sec1306

Essential Maintenance 30th January

Essential maintenance will be carried out on our IT systems between 4pm and 5pm today. While there should be no impact on our services, there may be a slight risk services go down. We advise you to save your input in CORE regularly during this period.

January 31st 2020

The UK is leaving the European Union as of January 31st 2020 but with transitionary provisions in place until 31st December 2020. During this period the UK's trading relationship with the EU will remain the same. The UK will also continue to follow EU rules. During the transition period the UK will remain under the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice and stay within the single market and the customs union. All EU regulations will continue to apply to the UK, including changes made to these regulations during this period.



However thereafter, if no agreement is in place, UK resident directors will be required to comply with section 137 Companies Act 2014. This is the requirement to have an EEA-resident director.

For further information on Government support and advice, please visit www.gov.ie/brexit or read the Government’s “Getting Ireland Business Brexit Ready: Practical Steps Guide” that sets out the nine practical steps to take to ensure that businesses are as prepared as they can be.

Discontinuation of refunds for online filing of C1/C1a



The filing fee for a C1/C1A is €40. This is paid online by customer account or credit card. From 1st February 2020, the CRO will no longer refund €40 for rejected/returned C1/C1A’s.



If you have chosen to pay by credit card, payment will be taken immediately and is NON-REFUNDABLE (as we cannot store card details). If you would prefer to pay by customer account, payment will not be deducted from your customer account until the submission is received and processed. If the C1/C1A is incorrectly filed, it will be returned and can be amended by the presenter and resubmitted to CRO, once it is inside the 21-day limit of the date the charge was created. No additional fee is required.



A charge which is outside the 21 days will be rejected.



If you wish to open an account with the CRO, please see Open a Customer Account Online page. CRO Account holders should ensure that there is sufficient money in their account to cover the transaction before submitting their documents.



Credit notes



Over many years the CRO has issued credit notes to customers in place of cash refunds. Following legal advice received by CRO, and as part of CRO`s intention to move to a full e-payments based system for all monies charged and received from customers,the CRO will phase out the acceptance of historic credit notes. This commenced on 1 January 2020 and will be implemented on a rolling six-year basis. Thus, all credit notes issued by CRO dated prior to 1 January 2014 will not be honoured as payment from customers for either charges for services or customer account receipts, from that date.

Limited Partnerships

Under the European Union (Qualifying Partnerships: Accounting and Auditing) Regulations 2019 – SI 597 of 2019, qualifying partnerships apply Part 6 and Part 26 Companies Act 2014. These regulations replace the 1993 Regulations. The European Communities (Accounts) Regulations 1993 are revoked. (SI 396 of 1993). Form PR2 is used for qualifying partnerships to submit their return under Part 26 Companies Act 2014.

Getting Ireland Brexit Ready

It is important that you ensure you are fully prepared and take all possible actions now to prepare in order to protect your business and employees. There are steps your business can take to manage change and minimise any disruption and cost to your business. There are many unknowns with Brexit, but whatever happens, it will bring change to the way we do business with or through the UK and companies need to prepare as much as possible for this change, regardless of location, size or sector.



You can access the Brexit Preparedness Checklist which identifies the essential actions that firms can take to ensure that they will still be able to trade with or through the UK after it leaves the EU. The checklist includes a list of the Government advice and financial supports available to companies in their preparations for Brexit. It also includes contact details for the relevant Agencies who can provide the necessary guidance and support to firms. You are encouraged to contact them and see how they can help you.



For further information on Government support and advice, please visit www.gov.ie/brexit or read the Government’s “Getting Ireland Business Brexit Ready: Practical Steps Guide” that sets out the nine practical steps to take to ensure that businesses are as prepared as they can be.