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Competition and Markets Authority

UK Competition Regulator; first in the world to order Google to give publishers AI-scraping opt-outs.

The Competition and Markets Authority must clear Sky's roughly £1.6bn purchase of ITV's broadcast and streaming Arm, terms for which were agreed on 25 June 2026 and a deal Sky formally signed on 6 July.

Last refreshed: 22 September 2026 · Appears in 3 active topics

Key Question

Will the CMA clear the Sky/ITV deal, and does it have the teeth the EU has?

Timeline for Competition and Markets Authority

#15 8 Sept

Published a report questioning SME procurement policy design

UK Startups and Innovation: CMA asks who £400bn procurement buys

#12 5 Aug

Mentioned in: Palantir enters USA Today's revenue plan

Media's AI Pivot

#8 6 Jul

Opened review of the Sky-ITV transaction alongside Ofcom

Media's AI Pivot: Sky signs £1.6bn deal to buy ITV

#7 25 Jun

Required to provide competition clearance for the Sky-ITV deal

Media's AI Pivot: Sky and ITV settle £1.6bn terms

#20 21 Jun

Mentioned in: Capacity law faces 24 June hearing

European Energy Markets

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Background

The Competition and Markets Authority is the UK's national competition regulator, responsible for merger control, market investigations and competition enforcement. Its 2025 cloud-services investigation found that UK organisations waste roughly £500m a year on cloud lock-in and switching costs, but closed without binding remedies, since the CMA lacks a Digital Markets Act-equivalent power to compel structural change.

Its Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 powers changed that picture: on 3 June 2026 the CMA issued a world-first order requiring Google to give news publishers tools to opt out of AI scraping and to attribute their content clearly inside AI-generated search results. The order is legally enforceable rather than voluntary, a precedent that runs ahead of both EU and US regulators.

The gap with Brussels persists unevenly: narrow where the DMCCA applies to AI-era Conduct, wide for cloud and infrastructure markets where the CMA's tools remain advisory only.

Key Issues

Sky-ITV deal

Sky-ITV clearance remains unresolved

Sky agreed terms on 25 June 2026 to buy ITV's broadcast channels and ITVX streaming service for roughly £1.6bn, then formally signed the deal on 6 July, with ITV keeping its public-service broadcaster status until 2034.

The Competition and Markets Authority's clearance, alongside Ofcom's public-interest review, is the deal's central hurdle. Ofcom blocked BSkyB's 2010 attempt to take a minority ITV stake on media-plurality grounds; this review tests whether the same concerns block full broadcast ownership, and its outcome will settle the UK's largest commercial broadcasting consolidation in a decade.

Common Questions

What did the CMA order Google to do about AI scraping?

On 3 June 2026, the CMA issued a world-first order requiring Google to give news publishers working tools to opt out of having their content scraped for AI Overviews, AI Mode, and model fine-tuning, and to attribute publisher content with clear links inside AI-generated search results.Source: Lowdown media-ai-pivot update 6

What powers does the CMA have over Google?

The CMA can designate large digital firms under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA) and impose binding Conduct requirements. Its 3 June 2026 Google AI-scraping order is the first use of this power in the AI search context, giving it enforcement authority the cloud investigation lacked.Source: Lowdown

Is the CMA reviewing the Sky ITV merger?

Yes. The CMA must clear Sky's proposed acquisition of ITV's Media and Entertainment division (broadcast channels plus ITVX streaming) for approximately £1.6 billion, alongside a reciprocal element where ITV Studios would buy a Sky production unit. The deal also requires Ofcom clearance. No definitive agreement has yet been signed.Source: Lowdown

How does the CMA compare to the European Commission on tech regulation?

The CMA's Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 gives it binding enforcement powers over designated digital firms, narrowing the gap with the EU's Digital Markets Act. In the cloud services market, however, the CMA still lacks DMA-equivalent structural remedies; its 2025 cloud investigation closed advisory-only, identifying £500m annual waste without compelling change.Source: Lowdown

Will the CMA approve the Sky and ITV deal?

Sky and ITV agreed terms on 25 June 2026 for Sky to buy ITV's Media and Entertainment Arm for £1.6bn, pending Ofcom and CMA clearance. The CMA must assess whether the deal is consistent with UK media plurality requirements under the Broadcasting Act.Source: Lowdown media-ai-pivot update 7

Why does the UK CMA have less power than the EU on cloud regulation?

The CMA's cloud investigation closed in July 2025 with advisory-only findings: unlike the EU's Digital Markets Act, the CMA has no equivalent binding enforcement instrument for cloud markets post-Brexit, so it could identify £500 million in annual cloud lock-in waste without compelling structural change.Source: Lowdown european-tech-sovereignty

Source Material

Competition and Markets Authority — GOV.UK