Il futuro della regolazione nel nuovo piano generale dei trasporti

Transport is lagging behind the liberalisation process under way in other Italian public utilities. The new General Plan for Transport (PGT) - to be completed by November 1999 - is a good chance to turn the Italian policy towards deregulation and pro-competitive regulation, in accordance with the European Commission approach. In this perspective the paper assesses alternatives concerning access charges for infrastructure costs (especially airports and rail tracks); franchising and yardstick competition in local transport services; ownership and procurement contracts; the role of budget constraints in improving performance and regulatory institutions such as independent authorities and government agencies.