Transparency data

CMA board extraordinary meeting minutes: 6 January 2025

Published 12 March 2025

© Crown copyright 2025

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cma-board-meeting-minutes-january-2025/cma-board-extraordinary-meeting-minutes-6-january-2025

Meeting date: 6 January 2025

Venue: In the Cabot, London, and by videoconference

Members present

  • Marcus Bokkerink (Chair)
  • Joel Bamford
  • Justin Basini
  • Sarah Cardell (CEO)
  • Martin Coleman
  • Frank Dangeard
  • Will Hayter
  • Dame Patricia Hodgson
  • Daniel Lambauer
  • Cyrus Mehta[footnote 1]

Advisors present

  • Juliette Enser, Interim Executive Director for Competition Enforcement
  • George Lusty, Interim Executive Director for Consumer Protection and Markets
  • Chris Prevett, General Counsel
  • Mike Walker, Chief Economic Adviser

Apologies

  • Cynthia Dubin
  • Murdoch MacLennan

CMA staff present

  • Kate Bridge, Director of Executive Office, Security, and Property
  • Committee Secretary (minutes)

Teams

The meeting was attended by teams from across the CMA, including staff from the Digital Markets Unit, Strategy, Comms and Advocacy, and Markets.

1 . Seeking decisions to launch search and mobile SMS investigations and announcement of intention to launch an SMS investigation into a third area of digital activity

Following the commencement of the new digital markets competition regime and the CMA’s powers under Part 1 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, which came into force on 1 January 2025, the Board approved:

  • the commencement (during the week commencing 13 January 2025) of an initial strategic market status (SMS) investigation for the CMA to decide whether to designate the undertaking known as Google as having SMS in respect of defined digital activities relating to its provision of general search and search advertising

  • the commencement (during the week commencing 20 January 2025) of an initial strategic market status (SMS) investigation for the CMA to decide whether to designate the undertaking known as Google as having SMS in respect of the provision of defined digital activities within its mobile ecosystem

  • the commencement (during the week commencing 20 January 2025) of an initial strategic market status (SMS) investigation for the CMA to decide whether to designate the undertaking known as Apple as having SMS in respect of the provision of defined digital activities within its mobile ecosystem

  • plans for a public announcement that the CMA is presently minded to launch an SMS investigation into a further area of digital activity in the first half of 2025

2 . Engagement on water sector in context of PR24

The Board was updated on Ofwat’s Price Review (PR24), the broader context for the water sector, the wider implications for the CMA including plans to engage key stakeholders.

3 . AOB

Letter from the Prime Minister on a new approach to regulators supporting growth

An update was provided on a letter sent to regulators on 24 December 2024 by the Prime Minister seeking proposals on how they can go further to prioritise growth and facilitate investment, supported by the Government, and the CMA’s planned response.

  1. CM joined the meeting for item 2 and 3. ↩

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