Regulation of Telecommunications, Broadcasting, and Public Utilities - Regulator

The Italian Senate has approved legislation to institute regulatory authorities to set rates and supervise quality, service, and competition in the provision of electric energy and gas, and in communications (including telecommunications and broadcasting). The bill in question is Legislative Proposal 359-B, which we discuss in a separate entry in this data base.

Senate approval of Proposal 359-B was achieved only when the Government of Mr. Lamberto Dini threatened to resign if opponents continued to block its passage. The Proposal will now move to the House ("Camera dei Deputati"), and may be approved quickly because it has been only slightly amended since the House last saw the Proposal, or may face opposition similar to that which made its approval by the Senate very difficult.