WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rick VanMeter, Executive Director of the Coalition for App Fairness (CAF) released the following statement on the U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement, which included a commitment to bring the Digital Markets, Competition, and Consumer Bill before Parliament in the upcoming third Parliamentary session.
“With the Chancellor’s Autumn statement, the UK government has further solidified its commitment to honest competition in the digital marketplace and the wellbeing of consumers. By prioritising the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill in the third Parliamentary session, the UK government will equip the Competition and Markets Authority with the powers required to truly level the competitive playing field. These powers will allow the CMA to move forward with the remedies proposed in its mobile ecosystems report, including mandates on Apple and Google to allow alternative app stores and giving developers the ability to choose their own payment providers. We are encouraged by the substance of today’s statement, and stand ready to work with the UK government to facilitate the passage and implementation of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill so that the marketplace best serves consumers, not Big Tech gatekeepers.
“As the United Kingdom and other jurisdictions move forward, toward creating and implementing effective regulatory frameworks that hold Big Tech to account while protecting consumers and small businesses, the United States risks falling further behind. The momentum we see in the United Kingdom should serve as a reminder to US lawmakers that the time to act is now. Every day Congress fails to act on tech antitrust legislation, such as the Open App Markets Act, American consumers and developers will continue to suffer.”
BACKGROUND
The Chancellor’s statement can be read in its entirety here. The excerpts that are specific to innovation and the digital marketplace are copied below:
3.32 Competition is fundamental for growth and productivity. The government will bring forward the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill in the third Parliamentary session to provide the Competition and Markets Authority with new powers to promote and tackle anti-competitive practice in digital markets. Opening these markets to greater competition will encourage new challenger firms, spur innovation, and provide consumers with higher quality products and greater choice.
5.71 Bringing forward the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill – The government is bringing forward the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill to provide new powers to the ‘Digital Markets Unit’ (DMU) in the CMA to foster more competitive digital markets; make changes to the competition framework that will include streamlined decision making and updating merger and fine thresholds; and protect consumers in fast-moving markets by tackling ‘subscription traps’ and fake reviews online.
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About the Coalition for App Fairness
The Coalition for App Fairness is an independent nonprofit organization formed to protect consumer choice, foster competition, and create a level playing field for all app and game developers globally. Originally formed by Basecamp, Blix, Blockchain.com, Deezer, Epic Games, the European Publishers Council, Match Group, News Media Europe, Prepear, Proton, Skydemon, Spotify, and Tile, CAF has rapidly grown from 13 to over 70 members since launching in September 2020. CAF offers membership to companies of any size — join today at appfairness.org.
CAF Contact
November 17, 2022