The UK Government introduces the highly anticipated Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill which creates a new ex-ante regime for digital markets

The UK government recently published the highly anticipated Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill, creating a new ex-ante regime for digital markets through proposed changes to UK competition law and enhanced consumer protection. The April 25, 2023 Bill is the UK equivalent of the European Commission’s Digital Markets Act and, once implemented, is poised to regulate the conduct of the largest technology firms. STRATEGIC MARKET STATUS The regime will be overseen by the new Digital Markets Unit (DMU) of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The DMU will be empowered to designate firms that have substantial and entrenched market power and a position of strategic significance in at least one digital activity with Strategic Market Status (SMS). In order to be