La regolamentazione dei servizi infrastrutturali

A study of the issues relating to the regulation of aviation -- airport and air traffic -- infrastructure. Several specific issues are addressed: with regard to airports, slot management and regulation of charges; with regard to traffic control, regulation of charges and European funding of new investment. The main conclusions reached are that: slot management should not rely exclusively on the secondary trading of slots, but should also contemplate direct re-allocation of slots; charges levied at (large) airports should be regulated, as competition among airports is unlikely to impart an adequate market discipline; air traffic services should be subjected to incentive regulation, thus abandoning the common current practice of allowing full cost recovery; European funding of new investment in air traffic infrastructure should be considered, given that its features of an international public good are likely to result into distorted incentives and free riding problems. With regard to the Italian situation, it is maintained that reform of regulation should be accompanied by the establishment of a new, independent and specialized, regulatory body.