CRO Updates - New Online Portal and Filing Extensions

PUBLISHED: 1st February 2021

CRO – New Online Filing Portal

The CRO launched the new CORE online filing portal on 16 December 2020.  It includes several new features including an increase in the number of CRO forms that can be filed online and the ability to upload signed signature pages rather than posting original signed forms to the CRO.

Companies should be aware that any forms generated through the old CORE filing portal, and not already filed with the CRO, will not be accepted by the CRO and must be generated and filed through the new CORE portal.

Annual Returns

Companies are now given an automatic 56-day filing period to file their annual returns with the CRO.  Under the old regime, companies were required to file their annual returns within 28 days of their annual return date but could avail of a further 28 days by electronically filing their Form B1 (Annual Return).  All companies now have an automatic 56 days from the annual return date to file their annual return and may electronically file all elements of their annual return at any time within 56 days of their annual return date.

Additionally, financial statements must now be uploaded when preparing the annual return online.  In the past, the Form B1 (Annual Return) could be filed electronically and financial statements were uploaded before the annual return was delivered to the CRO.  Under the new system, financial statements are uploaded when preparing the annual return and all elements of the annual return are filed electronically without any documents being posted to the CRO.

Annual Return Filing Extension – 26 February 2021

Irish companies with an annual return date on or after 30 September 2020 were granted an annual return filing extension to 26 February 2021 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The extension period will expire next month so any companies that are availing of the extension and have not yet filed their annual return should act as soon as possible to avoid missing the filing deadline.

For more information on the filing extension, please see New Annual Return Filing Extensions Announced

For more details or assistance please contact any member of our team:

Colm Hanley at chanley@lkshields.ie

To subscribe to our news, insights and events click here.