UK Watchdogs Set Out Blueprint For Cooperation In Digital Markets

The statement from the UK regulators for competition and data protection – the first of its kind globally – highlights the strong overlap between promoting and protecting competition in digital markets and safeguarding people’s data. Coherent and clear regulation is vital for creating the conditions that allow new innovative services to flourish and for people to have confidence in digital services.

The ICO and CMA affirm that rather than competition and data protection being in opposition, they are complementary agendas. The regulators have committed to work together to find regulatory solutions that achieve good competition and data protection outcomes.

Competitive digital markets, with coherent and well-targeted regulation, can empower consumers by giving them greater control over their personal data and driving positive competition outcomes.

The ICO and CMA are committed to continuing working together on projects that will put this joint statement into practice. This is already the case on the CMA’s investigation into Google’s Privacy Sandbox and the ICO’s investigation into real time bidding in the adtech industry.

This commitment has been reinforced through an updated Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by the ICO and CMA, which sets out how the two regulators will collaborate further in future, for example through information sharing and the potential for joint projects.

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