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Digital Markets Competition Regulation

Lifecycle: Response Published Competition and Markets Authority · Department for Business and Trade Last regenerated 2 days ago

Summary

What this is

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCC Act) establishes a new regulatory regime for large digital platforms designated with Strategic Market Status (SMS), enforced by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), including powers to impose conduct requirements, pro-competition interventions, and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.

Why it matters

The regime directly affects the largest global tech platforms (Apple, Google, Amazon, Microsoft) operating in the UK and represents the most significant overhaul of UK digital competition law; SMS designations and conduct requirements could reshape how app stores, browsers, and search services operate.

Current status

The Act is in force and the CMA is actively conducting SMS investigations into Apple and Google's mobile ecosystems; secondary legislation implementing the alternative dispute resolution framework has been approved by Parliament, and further implementing regulations are being finalised.

What changed recently

  • 29 Apr 2026 — Written questions tabled in the Lords asking whether DBT ministers have engaged with Apple, Google, Amazon or Microsoft about the impact of SMS designation. →
  • 29 Apr 2026 — Written question tabled asking whether DBT officials have discussed with the CMA the impact of SMS designation of Apple and Google. →
  • 6 Apr 2026 — Statutory instruments for the DMCC Act 2024 Alternative Dispute Resolution Regulations 2026 published as a policy paper. →
  • 2 Mar 2026 — Lords approved the DMCC Act 2024 (Alternative Dispute Resolution) (Conferral of Functions) and (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2026. →
  • 9 May 2025 — CMA published the outcome of its SMS investigations consultation into Apple and Google's mobile ecosystems. →

Key documents

Consultations

Stakeholders

Grouped by role with evidence. Long groups scroll inside their column.

Sponsoring department 2

  • Department for Business and Trade → src
    Responsible department for the DMCC Act 2024; ministers have been questioned about engagement with major tech platforms on SMS designation impacts.
  • Competition and Markets Authority → src
    Enforcing body for the DMCC Act 2024; conducting SMS investigations into Apple and Google and developing regime guidance.

Sponsoring minister 2

  • Kemi Badenoch ↗
    Commons sponsor of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 on behalf of the Department for Business and Trade.
  • Lord Offord of Garvel → src
    Lords sponsor of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024; moved multiple Lords stages of the Bill.

Other 2

  • Lord Stockwood → src
    Moved the ADR (Conferral of Functions) and (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2026 in Lords Grand Committee and on the floor of the House.
  • Baroness Gustafsson → src
    Moved the DMCC Act 2024 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2025 in Lords Grand Committee and on approval motion.

Political commitments

What parties and ministers have promised — manifesto pledges, King's Speech announcements, ministerial statements. Each card shows what was said, by whom, and when, with a link to the original source.

  • commitment Ministerial statement Conservative · 2023 · Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill

    Government introduced DMCC Bill to establish new digital markets competition regime

    Why linked: The Conservative government introduced and sponsored the DMCC Bill through Parliament, establishing the SMS designation and CMA enforcement framework.

    Source: Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill · Original ↗
  • commitment Ministerial statement Labour · 2025 · SMS investigations into Apple and Google’s mobile ecosystems — outcome published

    Labour government progressing implementing regulations and CMA SMS investigations under the DMCC Act

    Why linked: The Labour government (post-July 2024) has continued implementation of the DMCC Act, including approving ADR regulations and supporting CMA SMS investigations into Apple and Google.

    Source: SMS investigations into Apple and Google’s mobile ecosystems — outcome published · Original ↗

Open questions & gaps

Known gaps in the evidence base and what's still pending.

Pending in the lifecycle

  • Formal SMS designation decisions for Apple and Google's mobile ecosystems pending following consultation outcome published May 2025.
  • Government responses to Lords written questions (pk=36204, pk=35783) on ministerial engagement with Apple, Google, Amazon and Microsoft about SMS designation impacts — responses not yet published.
  • Further secondary legislation under the DMCC Act (beyond ADR regulations) may be required to fully operationalise the regime.
  • CMA conduct requirements and pro-competition interventions for any designated SMS firms remain to be determined post-designation.

Beyond the corpus

  • MISSING Formal SMS designation notices for Apple and/or Google — Following the SMS investigation consultation outcome (May 2025), formal designation decisions would be the next expected step but no such event appears on the thread.
  • MISSING Updated CMA guidance post-SMS designation — Once SMS designations are made, the CMA would be expected to publish updated operational guidance on conduct requirements and enforcement priorities.
  • MISSING Impact assessment or post-implementation review of the DMCC Act — Standard practice for major legislation; not yet visible on this thread.

Confidence gaps

  • It is unclear from the events whether the Lords written questions (pk=36204, pk=35783) have received substantive answers or whether the government has disclosed the nature of any ministerial engagement with major tech platforms.
  • The precise timeline for remaining secondary legislation under the DMCC Act is not evident from the events listed.
  • The candpk=34806 (2021 digital trade and data report) predates the DMCC Act and its relevance to this thread is uncertain.