Bird & Bird Competition & EU law partner, José Rivas, in his role as chief Editor of the journal World Competition, had the opportunity to interview the Chairwoman of the Spanish Competition Authority, Ms Cani Férnandez, on the occasion of the ICN Annual Conference, which took place in October 2023 in Barcelona. The interview, featured in World Competition Volume 47, Issue 1, gave a glimpse into the current focus and future direction of the CNMC, providing a better understanding of the regulatory environment in Spain.

Here are some key points from the interview with Ms Cani Fernández, Chairwoman of the Spanish Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC):

• International Cooperation: The CNMC is deeply committed to international cooperation, not only at a European level, but also acting as a link with Latin American competition authorities.  
• Digital Markets: Digital markets are going to be one of the main areas of focus in the future. The CNMC is very active in the digital area and has ongoing investigations against Big Tech companies. 
• DMA and DSA: The Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the Digital Services Act (DSA) are now starting to become a reality. The CNMC sees these as useful tools to tackle challenges in the digital sector. However, competition law will still play a prominent role in digital markets regulation.
• Public Procurement: Public procurement is one of the CNMC’s main concerns, and it has recently adopted the criteria on the prohibition of contracting with the public sector when competition rules are infringed. The CNMC is also developing an AI tool to detect potential collusion in public procurement.  

Click on the PDF image below to read the full interview.

If you need more information or further guidance, please contact Jose Rivas. 

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