The Government's Consultation on Refining the UK's Competition Regime
Date: 10 March 2026
Time: 16.00 - 18.30 (Registration from 15.30)
Followed by a reception
Venue: BIICL, Charles Clore House, 17 Russell Sq, London WC1B 5JP
Co-organised with
Event Details
In January 2026, the UK Department for Business and Trade launched its consultation, 'Refining our competition regime' running until 31 March 2026.
The consultation's changes include the proposed transition from the independent Panel system to a CMA Board-led process for the UK's in-depth mergers and markets inquiries, primarily so that "those ultimately accountable to Parliament are directly involved in the most significant mergers and markets decisions" as well as to "align closely with ... the 4Ps ... while safeguarding the vital independence of CMA decision-making".
The consultation also proposes a streamlined single-phase markets tool, a new "adverse effect on consumers" test, among other amendments, and the retention of legal accountability via judicial review. Aimed at aligning more closely with the Government's Growth Agenda, these refinements may represent a more pivotal architectural shift for the post-Brexit regulatory landscape - and worthy of debate while the consultation period remains open.
Join BIICL and the Oxford Centre for Competition Law and Policy (CCLP) for a leading roundtable discussion attended by representatives from key private sector business and adviser stakeholders as well as the Department for Business and Trade and the CMA featuring a distinguished commentator panel of regime alumni, academic and private sector speakers.
This discussion will take place under the Chatham House rule
Convened by Dr Liza Lovdahl Gormsen, Co-director of the Competition Law Forum at BIICL
Speakers
Introductory remarks by Sarah Adcock OBE and Alex Williams OBE, Department for Business and Trade.
Dr Liza Lovdahl Gormsen, Co-director of the Competition Law Forum at BIICL
Moderated by Simon Prichard, Partner, Latham & Watkins
- Professor John Vickers, Professor at Oxford University
- Professor Bill Kovacic, Global Competition Professor of Law and Policy at the George Washington University Law School, USA
- Nicole Kar Partner, Paul Weiss
- Dr Mike Walker, Frontier Economics, ex chief economist at the CMA
Pricing and Registration
This event is open to members of the Competition Law Forum at BIICL and invited guests. Please contact the Events team to request a place at this event.
Find out more about the Competition Law Forum
