About the DRCF

WHO WE ARE

The Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum, or DRCF, brings together four UK regulators with responsibilities for digital regulation – the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and Ofcom. These regulators set up the DRCF in 2020 to make it easier for them to collaborate on digital regulatory matters.

The DRCF supports cooperation and coordination between members and enables coherent, informed and responsive regulation of the UK digital economy. This effective collaboration greatly benefits UK citizens and consumers online.

MEMBERS

CMA

The Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) is an independent department of the UK government. Its primary focus is to ensure that competition and markets work in favour of consumers. The CMA’s goals include enforcement, consumer protection and ensuring that all UK business is conducted fairly and legally to the highest standards.

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OFCOM

Ofcom is the regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries. It regulates the TV and radio sectors, fixed line telecoms, mobiles, postal services, plus the airwaves over which wireless devices operate. It will also be responsible for enforcing the upcoming Online Safety Bill.

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ICO

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is the UK’s independent public authority set up to uphold information rights. It upholds information rights in the public interest, promoting openness by public bodies and data privacy for individuals.

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FCA

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulates the financial services industry in the UK. Its role includes protecting consumers, keeping the industry stable, and promoting healthy competition between financial service providers. The FCA regulates the conduct of 50,000 firms in the UK, ensuring our financial markets are honest, competitive and fair.

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AIMS & OBJECTIVES

The DRCF has three core aims:

  • to promote greater coherence – where regulatory regimes intersect, the DRCF helps to resolve potential tensions, offering clarity for consumers and industry
  • to work collaboratively on areas of common interest and address complex issues
  • to work together to build the necessary capabilities – learning from what each regulator is doing and striving to be best in class, both now and in the future

Key Documents
DRCF Terms of Reference.pdf106.4 KB

HOW WE WORK

Agile and responsive
The DRCF is a voluntary forum. It is not a statutory entity, nor does it have a statutory remit. This enables DRCF regulators to adopt an agile approach and respond quickly to developments in the digital space. The DRCF does not provide formal advice or direction to member regulators, who remain individually accountable for the delivery of their functions.
Expert cooperation
The DRCF is resourced and funded equally by the four member regulators. The DRCF consists of a small core team, led by the DRCF CEO, which supports project teams composed of experts drawn from the four regulators. These experts come together to tackle the DRCF’s shared agenda, which is agreed by our member CEOs and set out in the annual workplan, working bilaterally, trilaterally or quadrilaterally as needed.
Stakeholder engagement
The DRCF engages extensively with stakeholders to gather inputs and insights to inform its thinking; to amplify project impacts and outcomes, and to support coordination on digital issues. Key stakeholders include academia, industry, consumer groups and civil society. The DRCF engages with them via roundtables, focus groups and larger symposia. It also meets regularly with Government and Parliamentarians.
Working with other regulators 
The DRCF works closely with other domestic and international regulators outside its membership. It shares knowledge and best practice on digital issues through quarterly roundtables with ten other UK regulators, and seeks to involve other regulators in specific areas of work. It also meets frequently with international agencies to share knowledge and has established an international community of regulatory authorities with similar approaches to collaborating on digital regulation.