The Competition and Markets Authority issued its first SMS designation under the DMCCA 2024, targeting Google’s general search services. With over 90% market share for at least 15 years and £3-4 billion in supernormal profits from UK services in 2024 alone, Google’s dominance faces its first serious regulatory test. This designation opens the door to […]
The Economics of the DMA: Insights from the European Commission’s Expert Workshop
Economists – assemble! This might have been the unofficial theme of the workshop on “The Economics of the DMA” hosted by the European Commission on 22-23 September 2025 in Brussels. In preparation of its DMA evaluation, the European Commission Joint Research Center (JRC) had assembled economic expertise from around the world to discuss the Regulation’s […]
SCiDA Submits Comprehensive Recommendations for the Digital Markets Act Review
The SCiDA Project has submitted its response to the European Commission’s consultation on the 2025 review of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Our detailed recommendations, available at SSRN, draw on two years of comparative research analyzing digital markets regulation across the EU, UK, and Germany. A Strong Start Requiring Bolder Action We assess the DMA […]
Conference Debrief – Highlights from the UK Digital Markets Competition Regulation Forum 2025
The third annual UK Digital Markets Competition Regulation Forum by Thought Leaders 4 Competition, held on 23 September 2025, provided a comprehensive assessment of the UK’s first year under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA). With the CMA’s Digital Markets Unit having completed its initial SMS investigations into Google and Apple, the conference […]
Google and Apple mobile platforms SMS consultation results: A comprehensive analysis
The simultaneous investigations undertaken by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) into Apple and Google’s mobile platforms represent a significant step undertaken in the Digital markets Consumer and Competition Act (DMCCA) era. While both companies face proposed Strategic Market Status (SMS) designation, their fundamentally different business models and competitive strategies have produced distinct regulatory challenges […]
Google SMS Designation responses – A comprehensive analysis
by Anush Ganesh 27 Stakeholders Responded to the Google’s proposed SMS designation decision The Competition and Markets Authority’s consultation on designating Google Search with Strategic Market Status has concluded with one of the first stakeholder responses in the UK’s DMCCA chapter. Twenty-seven organizations ranging from Google itself to independent publishers, airlines to academic institutions have […]
The DMCCA in Action
The United Kingdom’s approach to digital market regulation has undergone a significant transformation in 2025. What began as legislative theory in May 2024 with the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA) receiving Royal Assent has evolved into a sophisticated regulatory framework delivering tangible results. As we reach 20 August 2025, the close of consultation […]
The Second Round of DMA Compliance Workshops – Compliance Progress or Slowdown?
During the last days, we witnessed the second round of the most public aspect of DMA enforcement: the DMA Compliance Workshops. Now in their second year, these events are shaping up to be an annual tradition in which the Commission convenes gatekeepers, their business users, competitors, and other stakeholders. The contrast between last year’s buzz […]
Bye-Bye Behavioral Ads: How the DMA is breaking Meta’s Business Model
Pay or consent: Meta got slapped with a € 200 non-compliance fine—but the real story is what comes next. The Commission’s Article 5(2) decision could rewrite the future of behavioral advertising. Curious how this will reshape Meta’s business model? Dive into our latest blog for the full story. By Team SCiDA Meta’s “pay or consent” […]
Apple’s Anti-Steering Aches: Key Takeaways from the first DMA Non-Compliance Decision
The European Commission has published its first-ever DMA non-compliance decision—and Apple is the unlucky (or lucky, depending on how you look at it) first subject. In a 68-page takedown, the Commission unpacks Apple’s creative approach to steering restrictions: multiple business terms, multiple hoops for developers to jump through, and a web of conditions that, in […]