Cloud services market investigation
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigated the supply of public cloud infrastructure services in the UK.
Statutory timetable
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| 4 August 2025 | Statutory deadline |
| 31 July 2025 | Final decision published |
| 5 October 2023 | Date of reference |
Phase 2
Next steps
This market investigation has now closed.
The market investigation has recommended that the CMA use its digital markets powers to prioritise commencing strategic market status (SMS) investigations, to consider designating the 2 largest providers – Microsoft and Amazon Web Services (AWS) – with SMS in relation to their respective digital activities in cloud services.
In June 2025 the CMA said in a press release that it will keep under review possible options for further designation investigations, and anticipates that the CMA Board will consider options in early 2026.
To contact the CMA about this, email cloud.dmu@cma.gov.uk.
Final report
The CMA has published the final decision of its market investigation into cloud infrastructure services.
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Administrative timetable
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Response hearing summaries
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Responses to provisional findings
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Provisional findings
28 January 2025: The CMA has published its provisional decision in its market investigation into the supply of public cloud infrastructure services in the UK. We have provisionally found competition concerns in these markets.
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- Press release: CMA publishes provisional findings in cloud services market (28.1.25)
Extension of market investigation
19 September 2024: The CMA decided to extend the statutory deadline for the cloud services market investigation by 4 months.
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Hearing summaries
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Responses to working papers and updated issues statement
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Updated issues statement
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Working papers
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Primary research
23 May 2024: Market research report published
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Progress update
23 May 2024: We have published a short update on the progress of the cloud services market investigation.
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Responses to issues statement
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Issues statement
17 October 2023: The issues statement outlines initial theories on what might be affecting competition and potential remedies. It does not set out our findings or conclusions. Parties are invited to provide submissions commenting on the issues and possible remedies. The deadline for submissions on the issues statement is Thursday 9 November 2023.
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- Press release: CMA outlines scope of market investigation into cloud services (17.10.23)
Inquiry group appointed
5 October 2023: The CMA has appointed an inquiry group from its panel of members Kip Meek (inquiry Chair), Robin Foster, Paul Hughes and Colleen Keck.
Case opened and terms of reference published
5 October 2023: Ofcom has referred the supply of public cloud infrastructure services in the UK to the CMA for a market investigation.
- Terms of reference (5.10.23)
- Press release: CMA launches market investigation into cloud services (5.10.23)
Phase 1
5 October 2023: Ofcom published its decision to refer the supply of public cloud infrastructure services in the UK to the CMA for a market investigation.
6 October 2022: Ofcom published a market study notice launching its market study into the provision of cloud services in the United Kingdom.
5 April 2023: Ofcom published the interim report on its cloud services market study. Alongside its interim report, Ofcom consulted on its proposal to make a market investigation reference into the supply of public cloud infrastructure services in the UK.
Please see Ofcom’s Cloud services market study page for more information.
Contact
The CMA may collect, use and share personal data for its market investigations under the Enterprise Act 2002. This includes processing personal data for the purposes of the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018.
For more information about how the CMA handles personal information, please see the CMA’s personal information charter.
Updates to this page
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Final decision published.
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Hearing summaries published.
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Responses to the provisional findings published.
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Notice of provisional findings, provisional decision, and Open Cloud Coalition's response to working papers and updated issues statement published.
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Administrative timetable updated.
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Administrative timetable updated and extension notice published.
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Third set of responses to working papers published. Summaries of hearings with AWS, Microsoft and Google published.
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Responses to working papers and updated issues statement published.
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Responses to working papers published.
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Updated issues statement and 3 working papers (Technical barriers, Licensing practices and Potential remedies) published.
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Working papers, primary research and progress update published.
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Response to issues statement published
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Responses to issues statement published.
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Administrative timetable published.
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Issues Statement published
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First published.