CMA Updates Its Digital Markets Board Committee Terms of Reference as Governance Refresh Takes Effect
On 9 October 2026, the Competition and Markets Authority updated Annex H of its board rules of procedure, which contains the Digital Markets Board Committee terms of reference. The update was published as part of the CMA's transparency data on its board governance documents. The change follows a series of earlier governance updates to the same document: in March 2026 the CMA closed its Nominations Committee and removed its terms of reference; in May 2025 multiple annexes covering audit, conflicts of interest, and board member roles were refreshed; and in January 2025 further updates were made. The October 2026 amendment specifically targets the Digital Markets Board Committee, which is the CMA board-level committee with oversight functions relevant to the CMA's digital markets work. No further detail on the substance of the Annex H changes is available from the published transparency page.
Why this matters
The CMA's Digital Markets Board Committee sits at the centre of the regulator's enforcement and oversight work under its digital markets regime. Updates to its terms of reference can affect how the CMA governs its most significant and high-profile regulatory interventions in technology markets. However, the published transparency page does not disclose the substance of the October 2026 changes, so the operational significance of this particular update cannot be confirmed from the available source.
On the Ground
Competition and regulatory lawyers advising tech sector clients on CMA digital markets matters will note any governance changes that affect how the Digital Markets Board Committee operates, as this can have procedural implications for ongoing investigations or advocacy. A trainee supporting CMA-facing regulatory work would assist with: monitoring CMA publications for governance updates, summarising regulatory filing requirements, and maintaining compliance tracker documents.
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