Energy market investigation extended

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced on 21 September that it was extending the timetable for its energy market investigation by up to six months.
The domestic and small non-domestic energy market was referred by the energy regulator Ofgem to the CMA in 2014, over concerns that competition was not functioning effectively in the sector. The extension is necessary for the CMA to consider the wide array of responses it has received from companies, business groups and government organisations to its provisional findings, published in July. It had been due to publish its final report by the end of the year, but this report is now likely to appear in April.
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) both published their responses to the provisional findings on 2 September. The CBI warned that, while the main focus of the CMA’s proposals was consumer protection, overly-burdensome regulation should be avoided as “increased costs to business will ultimately be borne by customers”.