UK Competition Authority Pledges Faster Merger Decisions to Boost Economic Growth

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has announced plans to accelerate its merger investigation decisions amid mounting pressure from ministers and business leaders who have criticised regulatory processes as overly bureaucratic and dilatory.

This strategic shift comes as the CMA and the business secretary outlined initiatives aimed at strengthening economic growth and investment. Speaking at Samsung’s London office, Jonathan Reynolds introduced a consultation on the government’s “strategic steer,” emphasising the need for regulators to demonstrate proactive, transparent, and responsive engagement with businesses.

The timing of these changes follows the unexpected resignation of Marcus Bokkerink, the CMA’s chairman, who was succeeded on an interim basis by Doug Gurr, previously of Amazon UK. The leadership transition occurred after Chancellor Rachel Reeves indicated the need for alignment with governmental objectives.

Under the new proposals, the CMA aims to complete pre-notification phases of merger investigations within 40 working days, a significant reduction from the current 65-day average. The regulator also plans to shrink the target time for “straightforward” phase 1 investigations from 35 to 25 working days.

Sarah Cardell, the CMA’s chief executive, highlighted the importance of swift decision-making in reducing uncertainty and costs for businesses. She emphasised that successful implementation would require constructive cooperation from businesses and their advisers.

The Labour government’s push for regulatory reform comes amid efforts to rebuild business confidence following a tax-increasing budget. Reynolds dismissed suggestions that the changes were influenced by US pressure, maintaining that the reforms were driven by UK business feedback.