Edison

SECTORIAL REGULATIONS

The regulations governing the energy sector are particularly complex. A series of laws have been introduced in latter years aiming to create open market conditions in the energy sector that will ensure efficiency and competition.

Since 1999 the liberalisation of the electricity market was started after the introduction of the Bersani Decree (Legislative Decree No. 79 of 16 March 1999) while the process of gas liberalisation in Italy - begun with the Letta Decree (Legislative Decree 164/2000) - was concluded on 1 January 2003.

The Letta Decree, which introduced measures aimed at favouring competition, has introduced several innovations among which the separation between distribution and sales activities. The distribution company's operations are thus restricted to taking the gas to the end users, and include the management and maintenance works plus all activities regarding the physical distribution network, while the company responsible for sales carries out all the commercial activities of gas supply.

Since 1 July 2004 the electricity energy market has been open to all VAT-registered companies.

The future probably withholds the birth of an all-embracing energy market involving gas and electricity interchange plants, and the creation of large transnational infrastructures.

Among the most important decrees are:

• Directive 96/92/CE of 19 December 1996 (Italian version)
• Directive 98/30/CE of 22 June 1998 (Italian version)
• Legislative Decree no. 79 of 16 March 1999, (Bersani Decree) (Italian version)
• Legislative Decree no. 164 of 23 May 2000 (Letta Decree) (Italian version)

For a more in-depth account of the sector regulations, please consult the sites of the leading national energy bodies:

• Authority for Electricity and Gas
• Italian Parliament Lower House
• GME Gestore Mercato Elettrico (Electricity Market Manager)
• GRTN Gestore del Sistema Elettrico (Electricity System Manager)
• Italian Ministry for the Environment
• Italian Ministry for Economic Development
• Italian Parliament Upper House (Senate)
• European Union