EU competition regulation

The European Commission (Commission) is the principle EU regulator tasked with enforcing and supervising EU competition law.

The Commission will investigate and take action against particular types of behaviour, for example, cartel activity and dominant companies trying to leverage their market power. It will also investigate merger cases and assess State aid.

EU competition law

There are four principle areas of EU competition law:

  1. the prohibition on anti-competitive agreements under Article 101 TFEU (see further, The prohibition on restrictive agreements)

  2. the prohibition on the abuse of a dominant position under Article 102 TFEU (see further, the prohibition on abuse of dominance)

  3. merger control under the EU Merger Regulation (Regulation 139/2004), which requires the prior notification of transactions that meet the required thresholds to the Commission (see further, a 'concentration' with an EU dimension), and

  4. the prohibition on illegal State Aid under Articles 107-109 TFEU, where a Member State provides aid to selected companies over others that impacts competition and affects trade between Member States (see further, State aid).

EU competition law is enforced by the Commission (with appeals

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Latest Competition News

Competition weekly highlights—26 February 2026

This week’s edition of Competition weekly highlights includes, from a UK perspective: (1) the CMA’s interim report in relation to its Getty Images/Shutterstock phase 2 investigation, (2) the government’s issuance of a pre-emptive action order following a PIIN in relation to DMGT/Telegraph Media Group, (3) the CMA’s response to DBT’s working paper on options for reform of non-compete clauses in employment contracts, (4) the EU/UK signing an agreement to co-operate closely on competition matters, (5) the Business Secretary announcing that Doug Gurr has been selected as preferred candidate to remain as Chair of the CMA, (6) the CAT’s judgment on a strike-out application and expert evidence in relation to a collective damages action brought by Ad Tech against Google, and (7) a CAT ruling refusing permission to appeal in a claim alleging competition law breaches by Faculty of Advocates Services. This week’s highlights also includes, from an EU perspective: (1) publication by the Commission of a summary of consultation responses on the ongoing review of the FSR, (2) publication by the Commission of consultation responses received to the review of Regulation 1/2003, (3) the Commission launching a consultation on the draft new State aid General Block Exemption Regulation, (4) publication of the European Parliament’s resolution on the Commission’s 2024 Competition Policy report, and (5) the General Court’s judgment dismissing an action challenging the Commission’s refusal of access to DMA designation documents.

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