Last update: February 24, 2009

NETWORK AND MARKET


The natural gas sector has been subjected to stringent regulation at national and Community levels. Specifically the regulation process was set in motion at the European level by the Gas Directive which defined common rules for the transportation, distribution, supply and storage of natural gas. This Gas Directive was adopted in May 2000 in Italy through the Legislative Decree of 23 May 2000 (the so-called “Letta Decree”).

The Letta Decree introduced regulations in the gas market in Italy to encourage a greater deregulation of the market. The Decree specifically identifies and defines segments of the gas market (import, production, export, transportation, dispatching, storage, regasification of LNG, distribution and sale) and establishes the main regulating principles in terms of liberalisation, corporate separation, network access and transparency.


On the basis of current regulations, the important role and responsibility for regulation of the sector is delegated to the Ministry for Economic Development and to the Italian Authority for Electricity and Gas.