The UK Competition & Markets Authority has launched a consultation on its proposed focus areas for 2018/2019. The consultation paper sets out the CMA's draft plans and priorities and a number of key commitments and initiatives across the areas of: markets and mergers, CMA development and resources, enforcement and preparing for the UK's exit from the EU. The CMA proposes, among other things, to deal with a higher volume of enforcement cases, advance consumer protection, support business compliance, consider specific markets or practices, enhance its processes around assessing mergers, improve the effects of remedies by conducting evaluations of previous projects, enhance its operational effectiveness by establishing a new digital team and to continue its preparation for Brexit. The CMA has secured additional funding for the 2017/2018 financial year to enable it to prepare for the anticipated increase in cases that will fall within the CMA's remit post-Brexit. The CMA notes that the additional £2.8 million funding per year from 2018/19, allocated in the Autumn budget, will enable it to initiate more enforcement cases against companies allegedly acting unfairly.
The consultation closes on January 14, 2018. The CMA intends to publish its final Annual Plan in March 2018.
View the consultation paper.