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ARTICLE · 27 MAY 2025

Levelling The Playing Field: CMA's Powers Narrowed In Pro-Growth Shift

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The UK Government has published the final version of its Strategic Steer1 to the CMA, which aims to create a "level playing field" through better regulation...

United KingdomAntitrust/Competition Law
Dina Jubrail
Dina Jubrail
Matthew Levitt
Matthew Levitt
Kassia Pletscher
Kassia Pletscher

The UK Government has published the final version of its Strategic Steer1 to the CMA, which aims to create a "level playing field" through better regulation2 and, despite recognising the CMA's independence in the exercise of its statutory functions, appears to discourage CMA intervention to support the Government's pro-growth strategy "in all areas where the CMA has discretion over which reviews, studies or investigations to commence, and in all cases where the CMA is considering remedies".3

The final Strategic Steer published on 15 May requires the CMA to conform to the "overriding national priority" of growth. This fits into wider pro-growth initiatives including the creation of a new Regulatory Innovation Office, and the structural changes to the Financial Conduct Authority. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds emphasized that economic regulators are "crucial" to the Government's pro-investment agenda. Sarah Cardell has stressed that the Steer will

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