Reforming a World Class Competition Regime : The Government’s Proposal for the Creation of a Single Competition and Markets Authority

This article outlines the principal reform proposals set out in the UK Government's Consultation Document, ‘A Competition Regime for Growth: A Consultation on Options for Reform.' Given the huge breadth of the proposals, however, it does not discuss each proposal in detail but focuses on the core proposal to create a new Competition and Markets Authority and a new procedural framework for decision-taking in each of the antitrust, markets and merger regimes. In particular, a key issue considered is how the Government proposes to achieve faster and more frequent decision-taking, whilst at the same time ensuring accountability, predictability, due process and that the system is compliant with the requirements of the Human Rights Act 1998 and the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms 1950 (ECHR)