Investment Business Firm Authorisation (Section 10 IIA 1995) (Ireland)
The Investment Business Firm Authorisation (Section 10 IIA 1995) is issued by Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) under Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments (MiFID II). It can be passported to the other EU/EEA states by notification. Ownership changes need the regulator's approval before completion.
At a glance
| Official name | Investment Business Firm Authorisation (Section 10 IIA 1995)1 |
|---|---|
| Issued by | Central Bank of Ireland |
| Jurisdiction | Ireland |
| Licence family | Investment firm / broker-dealer |
| Legal basis | Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments (MiFID II)2 |
| Passporting | EU/EEA passport available |
What it lets you do
- Reception and transmission of orders. Receiving client orders in financial instruments and passing them to another firm for execution.
- Investment advice. Giving personal recommendations to a client about one or more transactions in financial instruments.
Where it is valid
Buying a company that already holds it
Prior notification with an objection period. Direct or indirect acquisition or disposal of qualifying holdings reaching or crossing 10%, 20%, 30%, or 50% of capital or voting rights, or resulting in the firm becoming a subsidiary, requires prior written notification to the Central Bank of Ireland; failure to notify renders the acquisition null and void. The Central Bank conducts a statutory assessment within 60 working days of complete acknowledgment (pausable once for 20 working days for EU acquirers or 30 working days for non-EU acquirers) evaluating acquirer reputation, financial soundness, and AML/CFT risks under the European Union (Payment Services) Regulations 2018, E-Money Regulations 2011, and MiFID Regulations 2017.3
Laws behind it
- Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments: Directive 2014/65/EU
Sources
- registers.centralbank.ie: DownloadsPage · retrieved 2026-09-24
- eur-lex.europa.eu: HTML (32014L0065) · retrieved 2026-09-24
- centralbank.ie: notification process for proposed acquisitions of qualifying · retrieved 2026-09-24
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