Discusses the legal requirements/options for joint venture/licensing in this market.
Last Published: 8/6/2019

No formal regulations relating to joint ventures in Ireland currently exist.  In each case, the terms of the joint venture are the subject of a co-operation agreement between the parties concerned.  Generally, the agreement sets out the basis on which the parties are to co-operate on a particular joint venture.  Numerous international firms have joint venture and licensing arrangements with manufacturers based in Ireland.

Government approval is not necessary for licensing agreements and no statutory restrictions are imposed on the amounts of royalties or other details of licensing arrangements.  However, an international firm intending to license the use of its trademark to a company based in Ireland must designate the licensee as a registered user, and an appropriate application must be lodged in order to prevent any future legal problems.

  • U.S. firms can gain access to the European marketplace by adopting a joint venture/licensing strategy incorporating Ireland.  Enterprise Ireland, the state agency responsible for the development of indigenous Irish industry, continually seeks to develop joint ventures, licensing, technology transfer, and other types of strategic alliance arrangements between Irish and international firms.

As with all business investment decisions, U.S. firms considering joint venture, licensing, or other strategic alliance arrangements in Ireland should seek professional advice regarding the legal, financial, and taxation implications of the agreements being negotiated.  The U.S. Commercial Service, U.S. Embassy, Dublin can assist U.S. companies in addressing these issues.

Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.