UK DMCC Act 2024: Merger Control, Competition, Market Investigations and the Digital Markets SMS Regime—Key Reforms, Enforcement Powers and Commencement

Published by a LexisNexis Competition expert

Practice notes

Introduction

In the 2022 Queen’s Speech, Government set out a package of reforms spanning digital markets, competition, and consumer protection. On 25 April 2023, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (the Bill) was presented to the House of Commons. The ‘ping‑pong’ phase for debating amendments between the Commons and the Lords was almost finished when the Bill entered the pre‑election ‘wash up’ process following the 2024 general election announcement. On 24 May 2024, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCC Act) obtained Royal Assent. Despite Royal Assent, most provisions would commence by statutory instrument, save for rules on foreign takeovers of newspapers and on energy network mergers, which took effect on 24 May 2024 and 24 July 2024 respectively on those dates. On 25 November 2024, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Commencement No 1 and Savings and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2024 (SI 2024/1226) (the Regulations) were made. The Regulations confirmed that a range of amendments to competition law/merger control, together with the new digital markets regime under the DMCC Act, came into force on 1 January 2025. This Practice Note outlines the principal provisions and their commencement dates and effects under the DMCC Act...

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Web page updated on 22/05/2026

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