Implications of EU competition policy on water supply and sanitation operations - The case of Italy

Lobina, Emanuele (2007) Implications of EU competition policy on water supply and sanitation operations - The case of Italy. In: ETUI-REHS, EPSU and SALTSA conference: "An alternative to the market – the social, political and economic role of public services in Europe", 19-20 Nov 2007, Brussels, Belgium. (Unpublished)

Abstract

Based on empirical research carried out under the EU-funded project WaterTime (http://www.watertime.net), this paper looks at how EU competition policy affects the provision of water supply and sanitation services, with particular reference to one member country. Irrespective of the fact that no EC Directive requires the liberalisation of the water sector, EU competition law still applies via the principles enshrined in the Treaty and interpreted by the European Court of Justice (ECJ). The research question the paper is intended to address is twofold: a) how is EU competition policy affecting the development and implementation of national legislation on the organisation and delivery of water services? b) what is the impact of national regulations imposed by or inspired to EU competition policy on the delivery of water services to citizens? Italy has been chosen as a case study in that recent sectoral reforms have led to conflicts with EU competition law. Furthermore, Italian local authorities have experimented with a variety of institutional and organisational modes that allow for testing the theoretical expectations behind the EU approach to competition.

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