Estado Actual de la Liberalización del Mercado de Gas en Italia (Current Status of the Italian Gas Market Liberalization)
1 June 2005
By Ismael Bahillo and former NERA Senior Consultant Monica Gandolfi
In this article, NERA Senior Consultant Ismael Bahillo and former Senior Consultant Monica Gandolfi examine the current situation of the liberalization of the Italian gas market, which ranks third among European markets in terms of natural gas consumption, following the United Kingdom and Germany. The liberalization of the gas market started with Decree 164/2000 of 23 May 2000, which implemented EC Directive 98/30/EC. Mr. Bahillo and Ms. Gandolfi note how the decree went far beyond the minimum requirements established by the EC gas directive, and created the basis for a competitive and liberalized market.
The authors discuss how, despite the steps taken to liberalize its gas market, in June 2004 the Italian energy regulator, Autorità per l'Energia Elettrica e il Gas (AEEG), and the antitrust authority, Antitrust Autoritá (AA), concluded that further measures were required to promote competition in the market. In particular, the authors note that the AEEG and AA considered it necessary to reduce existing market concentration by promoting the entrance of new gas players in the market. They conclude that access to competitive gas supply and to entry infrastructures were key aspects to overcome existing barriers to entry.
This article is available in Spanish only.
