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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.
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Step 1: Designation phase
The UK Competition and Markets Authority must designate a firm with strategic market status based on qualitative and quantitative criteria. It must engage in stakeholder consultation before the adoption of the designation decision.
Designated firm | Designated digital activity | Start date designation | End date designation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Google | Google general search; Google search advertising services | 14/01/2025 | 10/10/2025 | Designated |
Google | Google Android; Google Play Store; Google Chrome; Google Blink | 23/01/2025 | 22/10/2025 | Designed |
Apple | Apple iOS; Apple iPadOS; Apple App Store; Apple Safari; Apple Webkit | 23/01/2025 | 22/10/2025 | Designated |
Publications
Step 2: Compliance phase
The UK Competition and Markets Authority can impose conduct requirements (CRs) and pro-pro-competitive interventions (PCIs) following an investigation. It must engage in stakeholder consultation before the adoption of the compliance decision.
Designated firm | Investigation | Start date investigation | End date investigation | Compliance measure | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Google | Google general search; Google search advertising services | 23/06/2025 | 28/01/2026 | Conduct requirements related to user choice, fair ranking, publisher controls, and data portability
| Consultation on conduct requirements |
Source: Christophe Carugati (last updated October 2025).
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