Consultation outcome

Consultation outcome: draft strategic steer to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)

Updated 15 May 2025

Summary of consultation themes and government response

Theme 1

The CMA should consider the actions being taken by competition and/or consumer protection agencies in other jurisdictions internationally, but this should not result in taking, or not taking, action because other jurisdictions have done so.

바카라 사이트 response

The steer sets out that the聽바카라 사이트�CMA聽should consider the actions being taken by competition and/or consumer protection agencies in other jurisdictions internationally, and, where appropriate, seek to ensure parallel regulatory action is timely, coherent and avoids duplication where these parallel actions effectively address issues arising in markets in the UK.바카라 사이트�

We consider the inclusion of 바카라 사이트渨here appropriate바카라 사이트� and the reference to 바카라 사이트渋ssues arising in markets in the UK바카라 사이트� to be sufficiently clear that while the CMA should consider the actions being taken by international agencies, this does not equate to following those actions unless doing so would address issues in the UK.

We have also added an additional sentence to the last paragraph of Section 2.2 to make it clear the government expects the CMA to engage with international partners on issues of common interest.

Theme 2

The steer should confirm the independence of the CMA.

바카라 사이트 response

The government is committed to protecting the role of the CMA as the UK바카라 사이트檚 independent competition authority and this is made clear in the introduction of the steer, including where we state that the government expects 바카라 사이트渢he聽CMA바카라 사이트檚 actions to be swift, predictable, independent and proportionate.바카라 사이트�

While we consider the CMA바카라 사이트檚 independence to be implicit throughout the steer, we have added additional references to the CMA바카라 사이트檚 independence in Section 2.1 where we set out the expectation that the CMA will use its tools proportionately with growth and investment in mind. We have amended the text (addition in bold) to state that the 바카라 사이트�CMA聽must at all times properly and independently exercise its statutory functions to promote competition and protect consumers바카라 사이트�.

In relation to the CMA바카라 사이트檚 new digital powers under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, we have amended the text to read that the 바카라 사이트�CMA聽should use the new聽Digital Markets Competition and Consumers Act聽digital market regime independently, flexibly, proportionately and collaboratively to effectively unlock opportunities for growth across the UK digital economy and the wider economy.바카라 사이트�

Theme 3

The CMA should take swift action but must not rush decisions or take action that is poorly thought through.

바카라 사이트 response

In the introduction to the steer, we state the government바카라 사이트檚 expectation that the CMA바카라 사이트檚 actions will be 바카라 사이트渟wift, predictable, independent and proportionate.바카라 사이트� In Section 2.1 we further set out that the CMA should 바카라 사이트渢ackle as swiftly as possible, in line with the new duty of expedition, anti-competitive conduct which harms businesses and consumers, and limits the potential of our economy.바카라 사이트�

We consider it important that the CMA should take swift action, specifically to tackle anti-competitive conduct that harms businesses and consumers, and do not consider there to be any implication that acting swiftly compromises the quality of the CMA바카라 사이트檚 decision-making.

Theme 4

Regulatory action must benefit consumers,

바카라 사이트 response

The steer makes it clear that 바카라 사이트渢he CMA should provide proactive, transparent, timely, predictable and responsive engagement with businesses to enable them, in turn, to engage quickly and effectively with the聽CMA, including engagement during聽CMA聽investigations.바카라 사이트�

Effective engagement with businesses is essential for the CMA, but the government acknowledges that engagement with wider stakeholders is also vital for the CMA to deliver for businesses and consumers. In response, we have amended the sentence that follows to 바카라 사이트淚n doing so the聽CMA聽should focus on collaborative approaches to resolving issues with interested parties.바카라 사이트�

Respondents

A breakdown of respondents by type is as follows:

Respondent type	Number of responses
Businesses	17
Trade associations and industry bodies	11
Academics	3
Lawyers or law firms	4
Charities	2
Non-profit organisations	2
Public bodies	1
Anonymous	1