pc
nid 92513
May 14, 2026
csoo@vixio.com
United Kingdom
Competition and Markets Authority
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1707 charsUnited Kingdom's Competition and Markets Authority Seeks Views on Smart Data Scheme for Digital Markets
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is seeking views on whether and how to introduce a Smart Data scheme in digital markets, utilising new powers provided under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.
The Smart Data scheme represents a potential regulatory framework designed to enhance data accessibility and interoperability within digital markets. The CMA's consultation aims to gather stakeholder perspectives on the feasibility, design, and implementation of such a scheme. This initiative forms part of the CMA's broader mandate to promote competition and protect consumer interests in digital sectors where data plays a critical role in market dynamics.
The consultation will inform the CMA's assessment of whether a Smart Data scheme would effectively address competition concerns and consumer detriment in digital markets. Key considerations include how data access requirements could be structured, which market participants would be subject to obligations, and what safeguards would be necessary to protect consumer privacy and data security while enabling beneficial data sharing.
The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 grants the CMA enhanced powers to establish such schemes, marking a significant development in the UK's regulatory approach to digital market competition. Stakeholders, including digital service providers, consumer representatives, data protection experts, and other interested parties, are invited to submit their views to inform the CMA's decision-making process.
Interested parties should monitor the CMA's website for consultation documentation, including specific submission deadlines and guidance on how to respond.
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Competition and Markets Authority
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1728 charsUK's Government Publishes Response to Smart Data Scheme for Digital Markets Call for Evidence
On May 12, 2026, the UK Government published the response to its call for evidence on developing a Smart Data scheme in digital markets.
The call for evidence sought views on whether the powers in the Data Use and Access (DUA) Act could be used to establish Smart Data schemes in Digital Market Sectors. The call for evidence explored a broad range of issues, including:
Barriers customers face in accessing and sharing their data.
Potential use cases and benefits of Smart Data in digital markets.
The scope of any potential scheme, including data and data holders.
Feasibility, costs, risks and impacts.
Customer trust, governance and design principles.
Interactions with the existing regulatory landscape.
The consultation response noted the following points:
Industry's concerns regarding how effectively data portability works in digital markets, specifically problems with the time it takes for UK GDPR portability requests to be addressed as well as with the formats in which data is provided.
Firms also noted the risks involved in being satisfied that data portability requests are genuine. Several points were also made in relation to the inconsistent provision of APIs, particularly those developed for the purposes of compliance with the EU’s Digital Markets Act.
Firms pointed out that addressing these concerns could support a range of promising business use cases including opportunities for data monetisation and donation and contextual AI services.
The response noted that there was a broad consensus that a Smart Data scheme could address said issues and that a scheme in digital markets would be beneficial for growth; however, there was less consensus on precisely what a scheme should look like.