United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020

33 Monitoring and reporting on the operation of the UK internal market

(1) The CMA may from time to time undertake a review of any matter it considers relevant to assessing or promoting the effective operation of—

(a) the internal market in the United Kingdom;

(b) provisions of Parts 1 to 3 (for example with regard to particular sectors of the internal market, or trade in different parts of the United Kingdom).

(2) The CMA may receive and consider any proposals that may be made or referred to it for undertaking a review in exercise of its powers under subsection (1).

(3) The CMA may prepare and publish a report on any matter falling within subsection (1).

(4) Any report published by the CMA under subsection (3) is to be published in such manner as it considers appropriate.

(5) The CMA must, no later than 31 March 2023 and at least once in every relevant 12-month period, prepare a report on—

(a) the operation of the internal market in the United Kingdom, and

(b) developments as to the effectiveness of the operation of that market.

(6) The CMA must, no later than 31 March 2023 and at least once in every relevant 5-year period, prepare a report on—

(a) the effectiveness of the operation of provisions of Parts 1 to 3,

(b) the impact of the operation of those Parts on the operation and development of the internal market in the United Kingdom,

(c) any interaction between the operation of those Parts and common framework agreements, and

(d) the impact of common framework agreements on the operation and development of the internal market in the United Kingdom.

(7) The CMA must arrange for a copy of the report prepared under subsection (5) or (6) for any period to be laid before—

(a) each House of Parliament,

(b) the Scottish Parliament,

(c) Senedd Cymru, and

(d) the Northern Ireland Assembly.

(8) So far as a report under this section is concerned with the effective operation of the internal market in the United Kingdom, the report may consider (among other things)—

(a) developments in the operation of the internal market, for example as regards—

(i) competition,

(ii) access to goods and services,

(iii) volumes of trade (or of trade in any direction) between participants in different parts of the United Kingdom, and

(b) the practical implications of differences of approach embodied in regulatory provisions, falling within the scope of this Part, that apply to different parts of the United Kingdom.

(9) In this section—

• “common framework agreements” has the meaning given by section 10;

• “relevant 12-month period” means—

  (a)

  the period of 12 months beginning with 1 April 2023, and

  (b)

  each successive period of 12 months;

• “relevant 5-year period” means—

  (a)

  the period of 5 years beginning with 1 April 2023, and

  (b)

  each successive period of 5 years.