On 27 November 2020, the UK Government published its response to the CMA’s recommendations set out in its final report of its market study into online platforms and digital advertising (the “Final Report”). The Government broadly endorses the CMA’s recommendations, though it identifies the need for further evidence and analysis before granting the full scope … Read more

In July 2020, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”) published its market study final report “Online platforms and digital advertising” (“Report”) (see the Report here). The Report includes significant recommendations on the future regulation of platforms funded by digital advertising, with the CMA calling for the adoption of new UK legislation to provide for additional regulatory … Read more

On 16 July 2020 the EU Commission launched a sector inquiry into the consumer Internet of Things (IoTs).  Under Article 17 of Regulation 1/2003 the Commission can conduct a sector inquiry into a particular sector of the economy where there are concerns that markets are not working as well as they should and where this … Read more

The German Federal Cartel Office (“FCO”) has launched a sector inquiry in the provision and marketing of publicly accessible charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. According to the FCO’s president, Andreas Mundt, the FCO has received several complaints about prices and conditions at the charging stations. Read more

The Commission’s 2020 updated working programme provides for a legislative proposal for a new “ex ante competition tool” to be put forward before the end of 2020, in the context of its digital markets strategy. At this stage no further details as to the nature of the new tool are available, but Commissioner Vestager has … Read more

The below brief addresses a number of interesting developments that occurred in the competition space across Africa during the course of 2019. In South Africa, we consider the amendments to the Competition Act, the enforcement approach to the new buyer power and price discrimination provisions, outcomes of the market inquiries into private healthcare, the grocery … Read more

On 17 January 2020 the UK Competition and Markets Authority published a penalty notice imposing its first ever fine for non-compliance with an information request issued in the context of a market study. This follows on from a series of recent fines issued for failure to comply with requests for information in the context of … Read more

In July this year the CMA launched its digital markets strategy, which sets out how the CMA will continue to protect consumers in rapidly developing digital markets.  A key element of this strategy was the launch of a market study into online platforms and digital advertising and the CMA has now published its interim report, … Read more