The CMA has today published further guidance to explain
how it will conduct its work following the end of the Transition
Period for the UK’s exit from the EU.
As of 1 January 2021, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)
will take on responsibility for merger, cartel and competition
enforcement cases that were previously reserved to the European
Commission; typically, those are the larger and more complex
cases. The CMA is ready for this challenge; it has committed the
necessary resources to ensure that it has the people, skills and
infrastructure in place to deal with these investigations and
has, for merger cases, already been engaged in the
‘pre-notification’ discussions that precede a formal
investigation for the past few months.
With markets becoming increasingly globalised, and the growth of
digital markets, different competition authorities face many of
the same challenges. Often, these issues are likely to be
addressed most effectively through international cooperation. The
CMA already has experience of working with authorities
internationally on cases with a potential impact on UK consumers,
and will continue its close engagement and cooperation with other
competition and consumer agencies in the EU and globally.
Domestically, consumer protection law will remain largely
unchanged; and the CMA will continue its work, and to make
recommendations and give advice to government and public
authorities on regulatory, policy and legislative matters to
promote the benefits of competition and protect consumers.
The CMA also stands ready to take on new functions with
professionalism, impartiality and analytical rigour, including
the proposed Office for the Internal Market and establishing a
new Digital Markets Unit in 2021/22.
The UK’s exit from the EU presents both challenges and
opportunities for the CMA and for the UK’s competition and
consumer protection regimes. The CMA remains committed to making
the most of the upcoming opportunities to secure good outcomes
for UK consumers, ensuring that its work is directly relevant to
people’s everyday life, while playing a bigger role
internationally to promote competition and protect consumers. We
will continue to be guided by what is best for UK consumers and
businesses.
Read the guidance.
