Forward

Digital competition remains a top priority for authorities worldwide. After years of monitoring the AI sector, they are now moving to investigate the first wave of AI-related practices by large online platforms.

Digital competition regimes are also evolving. In Europe, the Commission has launched its first review of the Digital Markets Act, seeking input from stakeholders, including on AI. In the UK, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published proposed designation decisions and roadmaps to designate Apple and Google under its regime. It has also recommended designating Microsoft and Amazon in relation to cloud services, following competition concerns identified in its investigation into the cloud services market.

Elsewhere, progress has been slower. India has withdrawn its draft digital competition regime, opting instead to commission a study on competition in the digital sector. In South Korea, the competition authority has suspended its proposal amid ongoing trade negotiations with the US.

At the same time, authorities continue to pursue traditional antitrust investigations in the digital economy, underscoring the sector’s central role in competition enforcement.

My Work

New service: Regulatory intelligence

I now offer in-depth analysis of the latest market and regulatory developments in digital and competition policies, providing actionable insights tailored to your specific needs. Delivered monthly, so you can anticipate emerging issues before they become risks. The service

Submission: Digital Competition’s Submission to the Commission Public Consultation on the Digital Markets Act Review

Reviewing the Digital Markets Act’s implementation as of July 2025, the submission highlights designation imbalances, warns against premature scope expansion, and calls for clearer compliance guidance and deeper cooperation with national authorities. I am available to discuss and present the report to the Commission, interested competition authorities, and third parties. The submission

Submission: Digital Competition’s Submission to the Canadian Public Consultation on Algorithmic Pricing and Competition

Algorithmic pricing raises pro- and anticompetitive concerns. The Competition Bureau should assess its legal framework, the potential of conducting market studies, and monitor developments in AI. The submission

Outlook: Digital Competition Outlook 2025/2026

This Outlook is designed to help government agencies, tech companies, and law firms prepare and navigate these new and complex issues. The year 2025-2026 will be pivotal in four priority areas: artificial intelligence (AI), digital competition regimes, digital mergers, and competitiveness. The outlook

Report: Europe’s Progress in the Digital Single Market: A Proposal for Consistency

European digital regulations shape the Digital Single Market, raising complex issues of regulatory consistency. This report assesses and proposes recommendations to ensure coherence across countries, regulatory regimes, and the rule-making process. The report

Analysis: The Limits and Promises of the Digital Markets Act Review

The review of the Digital Markets Act will assess whether the regulation delivers on its objectives and whether it remains future-proof in addressing emerging challenges, such as Generative AI. The analysis

Analysis: Competition for AI Energy Capacity

Monopsony and monopoly power could distort energy access. Competition authorities should safeguard competition and consumer welfare by securing access, supporting capacity expansion, and fostering competitive energy markets. The analysis

Training: EU Digital Merger Guidelines

The EU Digital Merger Guidelines Training offers a deep understanding of the EU consultation on merger guidelines in relation to digital mergers to help tech firms, law firms, and economic consulting firms. The training

Research projects: Let’s work together

News

Generative AI

“AI Web Browser” War

Web browsers are the primary gateway to the internet. Established players like Google and Microsoft, alongside challengers such as OpenAI and Perplexity, are racing to integrate advanced AI features into their browsers. Some, including Microsoft, are even experimenting with new web architectures to enable seamless communication between AI agents and websites. Bloomberg

In an example of the competition, Perplexity reportedly offered $34.5 billion to acquire Google Chrome, though Chrome is not for sale. BBC

Google AI Overviews Face EU Complaint

A coalition of publishers has lodged a complaint with the European Commission, alleging that Google unfairly uses their content in its AI overviews. TechCrunch

WhatsApp AI Features Under Italian Scrutiny

The Italian Competition Authority has opened an antitrust investigation into Meta. It suspects the company of tying AI services to WhatsApp in a way that could lock in users and facilitate the accumulation of valuable data. The investigation

AI’s Energy Demands

AI’s growth hinges on access to electricity and water for data centers. A recent Financial Times analysis highlights why energy capacity is a critical factor in AI development and deployment. Financial Times

AI in the US Google Search Case

Market developments in AI have played a role in designing remedies in the US Google Search case. The case

Digital Competition Regimes

First EU Digital Markets Act (DMA) Review

The Commission launched a public consultation, open until 24 September 2025, to prepare its first DMA review report, due by May 2026. It has also published a consultation on AI in the context of the DMA review. The consultation. The AI consultation. My submission

Appeals on DMA Non-Compliance

Apple and Meta have appealed the Commission’s DMA non-compliance decisions before the General Court. The outcome will shape how the DMA is interpreted and enforced. Appeals

Dutch Authority Suspends Apple Probe

The Dutch Competition Authority paused its antitrust case against Apple’s app store commissions for dating apps, deferring to a broader, ongoing DMA investigation. The decision

No DMA Supervisory Fee

The Commission confirmed it will not introduce a supervisory fee requiring gatekeepers to fund DMA oversight. The announcement

EU–Japan Cooperation Arrangement

The Commission and the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) signed a cooperation framework on digital competition. The arrangement promotes technical exchanges, staff training, and the sharing of non-confidential best practices, including investigatory tools and market intelligence. The Arrangement

UK’s Digital Competition Regime

Regarding Apple and Google, the UK CMA has issued its first proposed designations and published roadmaps outlining how it plans to implement the new regime. The tracker

Regarding Microsoft and Amazon, following its investigation into the cloud services market, the CMA recommended designating Microsoft and Amazon under the UK regime. The investigation

India and South Korea Step Back

In India, the government withdrew its draft digital competition bill, opting instead to commission a study on competition in digital markets. The announcement

In South Korea, the authority suspended its proposed bill amid ongoing trade negotiations with the US. The announcement

Competition

Commission Publishes First Guidance Letters

The Commission issued its first guidance letters to clarify how competition law applies to novel or unresolved business practices. The letters

Review of Antitrust Procedural Rules and Foreign Subsidies Rules

The Commission is consulting stakeholders on: 

·       Antitrust procedures: Revisions to Regulation 1/2003, open until 2 October 2025. The antitrust procedural rules consultation.

Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) First review, open until 8 November 2025. The FSR public consultation

Spain Expands Apple Investigation

The Spanish Competition Authority broadened its probe into Apple’s App Store rules. While details remain limited, the case is likely to overlap with the Commission’s DMA Apple App Store proceedings. The investigation

Google Settles in Australia

Google reached a settlement with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) over its Android practices, agreeing to pay a fine and adjust its conduct. The settlement

Google Fined in Europe in the Ad Tech Case

Following a similar antitrust case in France, the Commission has found that Google engaged in self-preferencing practices to strengthen its ad tech services. The Commission ordered Google to cease these practices and to propose a remedy to address the conflicts of interest. It explicitly indicated that divestiture would be the only effective remedy. The French case. The case

Brazil Probes Microsoft Browser Practices

Brazil’s competition authority is investigating Microsoft after a complaint from Opera. Allegations include giving Edge an unfair advantage by pre-installing it as the default browser on Windows devices. The investigation

France Targets Meta’s Ad Practices

The French Competition Authority (FCA) issued its statement of objections to Meta over alleged restrictions on ad verification services. It argues that Meta’s conditions lack transparency, objectivity, or are non-discriminatory. The investigation

FCA Roadmap 2025/2026

The FCA announced it will prioritise digital markets, sustainability, and purchasing power. In digital, it will continue monitoring AI and launch a market study on energy access for AI actors. The roadmap

Canada Investigates Amazon

The Canadian Competition Authority is probing Amazon’s pricing policies. The investigation