The UK Government has announced a single Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to simplify and strengthen the competition regime, following a long public consultation process.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) expected to be in place by April 2004 will bring the two existing UK competition authorities – the Competition Commission and competition functions of the Office of Fair Trading – into a single organisation.

The move is designed to make the competition regime more effective and efficient by streamlining procedures, increasing the deterrent effect of the regime and making it less burdensome on business, and the government.

The CMA will have a primary duty to promote effective competition in markets, across the UK economy and for the benefit of  consumers. This includes responsibility for merger regulation, market investigations, cartel and antitrust cases, as well as a number of functions with respect to regulated utilities.

Read the full response of the government here.

Below are some news items of the related news among others:

Businesses to Face Powerful New Competition and Markets Authority  

(Berwin Leighton Paisner- March 12, 2012)

UK Plans Super Trust-Buster in Competition Reform  

(Reuters – March 15, 2012)