The Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum. A Research Note on Work in Progress

This paper introduces an evolving research engagement with the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum (DRCF), based on a review of published outputs, 20 interviews and a roundtable discussion with senior DRCF staff. The DRCF was established in 2020 by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and media and communications regulator Ofcom, with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) joining in 2021. We trace the origins of the DRCF as a non-legislative initiative in the British tradition of concurrent regulation, offer a taxonomy of seven activities undertaken by the DRCF and interpret these activities from the perspective of the DRCF as a brokerage agent. We point to future challenges and opportunities for a flexible, risk-based and innovation-focused approach to digital regulation, especially in the context of AI.