Italy Establishes Regulatory Authorities for Energy and Telecommunications

The Italian Parliament has approved legislation to institute regulatory authorities with power to set rates and supervise quality, service, and competition in the provision of electric energy and gas, and in telecommunications. This legislation takes the form of a "legislative decree", which sets out the framework of the authorities to be established, together with their basic powers and guidelines for their operations, and requires the Government to pass additional legislation to fill in the gaps. Part of the Legislative Decree addresses the Electric Energy and Gas Authority in detail, and thus less work will be needed in order to make the latter Authority operational.

The enabling act for Italy's energy and telecommunications authorities leaves ultimate control over the granting, renewing, and amendment of utilities licenses in the Ministries now regulating such activity. These ministries are, for telecommunications, the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications, and for Energy,