5th Conference on the Regulation of Infrastructures

 

June 24th, 2016

Florence School of Regulation
Florence (Italy)

 

The EPPP research group collaborates actively with the Florence School of Regulation (FSR) water group (http://fsr.eui.eu/water).We are also involved in the organization of this series of conferences on the regulation of infrastructures since 2012. This event is organized every year by the FSR in Florence.

The de- and re-regulation of the different network industries is an ongoing process at national and global levels. As this process unfolds, ever new phenomena emerge. Yet, the question about the right mixture between market, economic, technical and social regulation remains wide open in all the network industries.

The question becomes even more challenging when looking at recent infrastructure development as triggered by their pervasive digitalization. Not only are the different infrastructures transformed by their digitalization – e.g., digital transport, smart energy, etc. – calling for new approaches to regulating them, but moreover does digitalization become a phenomenon in its own right. The European Commission actually sees digitalization as a means to accelerate integration, to tear down regulatory walls and to move  from 28 national markets to a single one. Consequently, digitalization and especially its implications in terms of privacy and security also require regulatory attention.

This 5^th Florence Conference on the Regulation of Infrastructures aims at taking stock of the major challenges infrastructure regulation is currently facing in the age of their rapid digitalization. It does so by:

• looking at the main infrastructure sectors, notably telecommunications, postal services, electricity, gas, railways, air transport, urban public transport, as well as water distribution and sanitation; growing intermodality among infrastructures, notably as a result of their digitalization;
• looking at infrastructure and their regulation from various disciplinary approaches, notably engineering, economics, law and political science along with interdisciplinary approaches are particularly encouraged; and
• linking an academic approach with practical relevance; policy relevant research papers are again particularly encouraged.

Finally, we especially welcome papers that link technology and institutions in more than one infrastructure sector, as to allow comparisons and highlight cross-sectoral trends. Interested junior academics – advanced PhD students, PostDocs and Assistant Professors – along with academically minded practitioners are particularly encouraged to participate.

 

Scientific Committee:

• Prof Matthias Finger (Director of the Transport Area of FSR)
• Prof Jean-Michel Glachant (Director of the Energy&Climate Area of FSR)
• Prof Leigh Hancher (FSR Energy&Climate – Director for Energy Law and Policy)
• Prof Xavier Labandeira (FSR Energy&Climate – Director for Climate)
• Prof Pier Luigi Parcu (Director of the Communications and Media Area of FSR)
• Prof Ignacio Pérez Arriaga (FSR Energy&Climate – Director for Energy Training)
• Prof Stéphane Saussier (Director of the Water Area of FSR)

 

Related Presentations: