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SubscribeOn February 25, 2026, the European Commission (the "Commission") and the United Kingdom (UK) signed the EU-UK Competition Cooperation Agreement ("the Agreement"). This is the first agreement supplementing the post-Brexit 2020 EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement providing for specific cooperation in the area of competition enforcement.
The EU had already entered into similar agreements with other jurisdictions. However, the Agreement has a distinguishing feature: it does not only regulate the mechanics of cooperation between the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the Commission, but also regulates cooperation between the CMA with other national competition authorities (NCAs) of the EU Member States. This aspect reflects the close relationship between the different competition authorities in the EU.
The gist of the Agreement
The Agreement sets out several measures for a more effective application of competition rules, among which the following are of particular relevance:
- Mutual notification of significant competition investigations (whether anticompetitive conduct or mergers).
- Coordination of operational activities by the different competition authorities, e.g., dawn raids.
- Information exchange with reinforced assurances of confidentiality, including the need to have the consent of the companies affected.
The Agreement will enter into force after both parties have finalized their ratification procedures.
Implications
This Agreement provides for reinforced cooperation mechanisms between institutions that share a common past, thus recovering a general framework that facilitates a more coherent and effective approach and application of the competition rules.
Companies should take note of this new institutional collaboration framework, particularly in the case of cross-channel mergers and investigations into conducts affecting both sides.
For more information, please contact our Knowledge and Innovation Area specialists.
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