The Competition and Markets Authority has published its draft annual plan for 2025-2026, outlining its strategy to promote competition and protect consumers in the UK. The plan emphasizes the CMA's role in driving economic growth through effective competition and consumer protection measures. Key focus areas include implementing the new digital markets competition regime, targeting enabling sectors that drive growth across the economy, and supporting the UK government's Industrial Strategy. The CMA is seeking feedback on its proposed Medium-Term Priorities and Areas of Focus for 2025-2026 through this consultation.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an open consultation seeking views on draft guidance on the application of the Chapter I prohibition in the Competition Act 1998 (CA 1998) to technology transfer agreements, aiming to ensure that the framework remains clear and effective. The draft guidance describes the application of the Technology Transfer Block Exemption Order 2026 (the TTBEO), in order to help businesses assess whether technology transfer agreements fall within the scope of the TTBEO. The draft guidance also outlines when technology transfer agreements are likely to restrict competition and when they may qualify for exemption under CA 1998, s 9(1) on the basis that their benefits outweigh any competitive harm. The consultation focuses on updating and replacing retained EU guidance on the licensing of intellectual property rights, including how restrictive clauses are assessed, the operation of safe harbour thresholds and exemptions, and how businesses should self-assess compliance, with a view to providing greater legal certainty while preventing anti-competitive arrangements. It also invites feedback on the potential impact of the proposed guidance on innovation, investment and competition. The consultation closes on 11 June 2026.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published an invitation to comment concerning a potential review of Part 3, article 29 and Part 1 of Schedule 4 of the Home Credit Market Investigation Order 2007. The CMA has identified a possible change in circumstances indicating that a review of those parts of that remedy may be appropriate. The CMA is not proposing to review the remainder of the Order, which remains outside the scope of this consultation. Responses are sought by 30 January 2024.

The Competition Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a consultation to determine whether four provisions in the small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) Banking (Behavioural) Undertakings (the Undertakings), given in 2002 by nine clearing banks are no longer appropriate and need to be varied, superseded or released. These four provisions prohibit eight designated banks from compelling an SME customer to open or maintain a business current account as a condition of accessing business loans or deposit. Responses are sought by 7 May 2025.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a consultation on draft revised guidance on unfair contract terms provisions in Part 2 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015. The updated guidance, which will replace the current CMA37 guidance once finalised, aims to simplify compliance for businesses and reflect developments including the CMA's direct consumer enforcement powers under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act 2024. The CMA notes that the underlying law on unfair contract terms remains unchanged since 2015, with businesses' obligations unaltered. The consultation includes draft revised guidance spanning 126 pages and a 14-page technical note, seeking views on how the CMA has simplified, streamlined and improved the guidance's presentation. The consultation closes at 11:59pm on 19 March 2026.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a consultation on draft guidance regarding the unfair commercial practices provisions in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA 2024). The guidance aims to illustrate how these provisions apply in practice and assist traders in compliance. The new provisions, found in Chapter 1 of Part 4 of the DMCCA 2024, replace and update the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. The CMA has published draft guidance which, once finalised, will supersede its current guidance on the matter. This consultation closes at 5pm on 22 January 2025.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a consultation on draft guidance outlining its role and powers in consumer protection. The proposed guidance aims to update and replace existing documentation, incorporating changes introduced by the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. It provides a comprehensive summary of the CMA's investigatory and enforcement powers and functions related to consumer protection. The CMA has invited stakeholders to review and provide feedback on the draft guidance. This consultation closes at 5pm on 22 January 2025.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published a letter from its director of markets, Colin Garland, to Lloyds Banking Group (Lloyds) regarding a breach of Part 5 of the Retail Banking Market Investigation Order 2017 (the Retail Banking Order). From April 2018 to October 2024, Lloyds failed to provide approximately 360,000 former account holders with letters explaining how to access their payment transaction histories. Lloyds self-reported this issue and notified the CMA of the breach on 21 October 2024.

The arrival of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) (or any other sector regulators) to conduct a dawn raid is likely to be an unwelcome surprise for any business and its officers/employees. This Practice Note provides an overview of the powers of the CMA to conduct inspections, including unannounced inspections (often referred to as dawn raids), including: • the CMA’s dawn raid powers • the CMA’s powers to conduct interviews • limits to these powers (eg privilege and self-incrimination), and • some practical insights, including how to challenge a warrant Specifically, this Practice Note reviews powers associated with both civil investigations (conducted pursuant to the Competition Act 1998 and enhanced by the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCC Act 2024)) and criminal investigations into the cartel offence (as set out in Part 6 of the Enterprise Act 2002 (EA 2002)). Finally, it should be noted that the CMA’s civil powers under Part 1 of Competition Act 1998 (CA 1998) may also be used by UK sectoral regulators with concurrent competition

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has concluded phase 1 of its investigation into the joint venture between Vodafone Group Plc and CK Hutchison Holdings Limited concerning the merger of Vodafone Limited and Hutchison 3G UK Limited. The CMA decided that the merger may result in substantial reduction of competition within UK markets and will refer the merger for a phase 2 investigation if the parties do not address the competition concerns it highlighted. The decision is expected to be published in 2024.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has announced it will not recommend the renewal of a block exemption to replace the existing Liner Shipping Consortia Block Exemption Regulation (CBER), which allows an exemption from competition law for certain forms of cooperation between liner shipping companies.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has confirmed final decisions to designate Apple and Google with strategic market status (SMS) in their respective mobile platforms under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. The designations follow consultations that ran from 23 July to 20 August 2025 and cover operating systems, app distribution, browsers and browser engines on smartphones and tablets. The CMA determined that both companies have substantial, entrenched market power and strategic significance after analysing feedback from more than 150 stakeholders. The designations enable the CMA to consider proportionate, targeted interventions to ensure mobile platforms remain open to effective competition, though they do not constitute findings of wrongdoing or introduce immediate requirements. The CMA noted that UK mobile device users are unlikely to switch between Apple and Android platforms and that ongoing technological developments, including AI, are unlikely to eliminate either company's market power over the five-year designation period.