By Mario Polito and Crystel Saraie

As digital platforms become ever more global and influential, competition authorities around the world are increasing their collaboration. Regulatory regimes such as the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) and Japan’s Mobile Software Competition Act present overlapping regulatory challenges, and competition authorities are developing frameworks to share knowledge, coordinate enforcement, and align regulatory approaches.

Why cooperation is growing more necessary

Digital platforms typically operate across many jurisdictions, meaning that unilateral regulatory actions often have ripple effects. For instance:

• A dominant app store in one market might have spillover effects in others.
• Investigative techniques (data forensics, technical audits) and market intelligence are costly to replicate individually.
• Enforcement consistency promotes predictability for firms operating internationally.

Recognising these dynamics, many competition authorities are shifting toward more structured cooperation.

The EU’s own digital markets regime, the DMA, defines a set of “gatekeeper” obligations that large platforms must comply with. [1] Because of its cross‑border implications, many jurisdictions are taking note and preparing their regulatory responses.

The UK has responded via its Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, which grants the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) powers over firms designated as having strategic market status. UK regulators have also long signposted their intention to cooperate internationally on digital markets work (for example as part of their digital markets strategy). [2]

Meanwhile, there is a history of multilateral dialogues on competition in digital markets, such as among G7 nations. For example, in 2022 the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice jointly met with competition counterparts from G7 countries to exchange ideas about digital market enforcement. [3]

The EU–Japan Cooperation Arrangement

On 23 July 2025, the European Commission (DG COMP and DG CONNECT) and the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) signed a Cooperation Arrangement focused on digital markets regulation. This aligns oversight of the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA) and Japan’s Mobile Software Competition Act. [4]

Key Features [5]

• Regular exchanges and staff training to share implementation experiences
• Information sharing on non-confidential matters such as market intelligence and enforcement tools
• Strict confidentiality protections: no sensitive data can be shared without explicit consent
• A platform for future cooperation, potentially including joint studies or secondments

The agreement stems from the broader EU-Japan Digital Partnership, reaffirmed at the 2025 EU-Japan Summit and third ministerial meeting. [6] Unlike traditional antitrust agreements, this one targets digital markets directly. It is expected to reduce regulatory fragmentation and promote aligned enforcement, setting a precedent for other bilateral cooperation efforts.

Broader cooperation trends and other actors

While the EU-Japan case is prominent, other cooperation efforts are advancing.

• G7 competition dialogue: As described above, major jurisdictions have used G7 and related forums to exchange policy tools, legislative approaches, and case studies in digital competition. [3]
• National authority cooperation: In the UK, the CMA has indicated in its digital markets strategy that it will engage with overseas competition and consumer authorities. [2]
• Focus on emerging tech: Authorities in the UK, EU, and elsewhere are increasing scrutiny on AI-driven mergers and collaborations, suggesting future cooperation may extend beyond core platforms into adjacent technology domains. [7]

Implications for businesses

For digital platform operators, software firms, and cross-border tech players, the growing cooperation between competition authorities has significant implications. While coordinated enforcement may bring greater predictability and more consistent outcomes across jurisdictions, it also raises the level of scrutiny: actions in one market can have repercussions elsewhere. As a result, companies must adopt global compliance strategies from the outset, ensuring their practices align with multiple regulatory regimes. Engaging early with regulators, whether through consultation or monitoring of enforcement trends, can provide strategic advantages. Finally, businesses should anticipate the emergence of shared standards on issues like interoperability, data access, self-preferencing, and platform governance, with practices deemed acceptable in one jurisdiction today potentially becoming regulated in others tomorrow.

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[1] European Commission. (n.d.). Digital Markets Act. https://digital-markets-act.ec.europa.eu/index_en

[2] UK Government. (n.d.). Competition and Markets Authority’s digital markets strategy. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/competition-and-markets-authoritys-digital-markets-strategy

[3] Federal Trade Commission. (2022, October 12). Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department meet with fellow G7 enforcement partners on competition in digital markets. https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2022/10/federal-trade-commission-justice-department-meet-fellow-g7-enforcement-partners-competition-digital-markets