Almost three quarters of Irish businesses do not comply with the latest EU Disclosure Directive requiring – at its simplest – company details such as registration number and registered offices to appear on headed paper and on websites.
The current working interpretation of the directive is that companies should publish the required information on their company homepages.
This information should also be included in all online forms, which could be deemed to be order forms under the directive.
Such registration information should also be included in company emails and other business-related electronic communications.
However, according to a survey by AMAS on behalf of the Irish Internet Association (IIA), which is holding its annual congress in Dublin today, 72pc of Irish business homepages do not comply with the new directive.
Furthermore, 86pc of the online forms on Irish business websites were non-compliant.
The IIA says it has been seeking clarity on the new regulations from the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE).
IIA chief executive Fergal O’Byrne said: “The AMAS survey is further evidence of confusion over the levels and requirements of compliance.”
“The IIA met the ODCE to raise concerns expressed by our members. We got some clarity but the ODCE emphasised that it is not the ultimate arbiter and that only the courts could decide this.
“The strong advice coming from the ODCE and endorsed by the IIA is that a company should make every effort to comply to the best of their understanding,” said O’Byrne.
By John Kennedy
