The CMA can only provide investigative assistance (for example, obtaining information from a UK business for an overseas counterpart) if we have a specific legal power to do so.  The CMA’s formal information gathering powers can only be used in relation to the carrying out of the CMA’s own functions, rather than facilitating the functions of an overseas agency. The threshold for using our formal powers contained in section 25 CA98 relates to where the CMA has reasonable grounds for suspecting an infringement, the infringement being a breach of CA98, not a breach of foreign competition law. The result is that the CMA can only use our formal powers of investigation where the CMA is also investigating the same