Tom Doyle :: TALK

As of the 1st of April 2007 all Irish limited companies must disclose of company particulars in E-Communications and on their websites.

The ODCE has issued Information Notice I/2007/2 detailing new disclosure requirements for companies on their websites and in all electronic communications.

The main points included in the Information Notice are as follows:

From 1 April 2007, all limited liability companies operating websites will be required to show certain information including the following in
particular:

- the name of the company and the company’s legal form;
- the place of registration of the company and the number with which it is registered and the address of the registered office;

Also, from that date all electronic communications by limited liability companies must contain the same information.

Explaining what effect these new regulations will have, the Director said, “Companies have always been required to disclose general information about themselves in their written communications in order to provide their creditors and consumers with a means of identifying where to look for redress should the need arise. The object of this legislation, which originated in the EU, is simply to extend those requirements to electronic forms of communication. In addition company websites are also well-used communication tools so it is quite appropriate that these requirements extend to them also.

Companies will need to ensure that by 1 April their websites disclose all the necessary information. In addition companies may need to look at the information contained in their emails and other electronic forms of communication to ensure it also complies with these new requirements. I accordingly urge companies and their staffs to take steps immediately to assess the extent to which they are already in compliance with the new requirements. Notice of this is also being circulated to all company directors through the ‘Corporate Compliance Matters’ newsletter being issued later this month jointly by this Office and the Companies Registration Office.”