7th Conference on the Regulation of Infrastructures: New Network Structures

Decentralization, prosumers and the role of online platforms

The Conference on the Regulation of Infrastructures is the annual event that brings together all the Areas of the Florence School of Regulation. This 7th edition aims at taking stock of the major challenges infrastructure regulation is currently facing in the context of sharing economy and platforms.

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Introduction

The de- and re-regulation of the different network industries is an on-going process at both the national and global levels. As this process unfolds, ever new phenomena emerge, necessitating a constant reassessment of the content and objectives of regulation.

The rapidly evolving Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have significantly challenged the traditionally stable landscape of infrastructure services provision. The new data layer over the traditional infrastructure and service layers is transforming network industries: online platforms create new indirect network effects, they allow new service providers to enter the market (prosumers, sharing economy providers, etc.), and they challenge the central role of traditional infrastructure managers/service providers as entities ensuring the coordination of the sectors.

Offering traditional and new services in an innovative way is a growing trend among public authorities, traditional providers as well as new private operators, prosumers and platforms. However, together with great opportunities, disruptive innovations also give rise to new regulatory challenges, especially when it comes to infrastructure financing and the coordination of operations.

This 7^th Florence Conference on the Regulation of Infrastructures aims at taking stock of the major challenges infrastructure regulation is currently facing as a result of technology, indirect network effects, newly emerging network structures (decentralized networks, distributed networks, sharing economy), and new actors (prosumers, OTTs, platforms, etc).

Papers will be presented in different parallel sessions dedicated to the following infrastructure sectors:

• Communications and media
• Energy and Climate
• Transport and mobility
• Water distribution
• Wastewater and waste management

We encourage contributions that link different infrastructure sectors, especially in light of the ICTs. Contributions utilizing multidisciplinary as well as interdisciplinary approaches to regulation are welcome. Papers linking academia and practice, as well as policy research papers are particularly encouraged.

The conference is intended for academics such as PhD students, PostDocs and Assistant/associate/full Professors as well as academically minded practitioners.

Conference Structure

The format of the Florence Conference on the Regulation of Infrastructures is unique:

• Each presenter has 45’, which includes 20’ of presentation, 10’ of qualified feedback and 15’ of discussion with the audience (there are only 2 papers per session, guaranteeing high quality);
• Feedback will be given by senior professors associated with the Florence School of Regulation, who are specifically knowledgeable about the topic at hand;
• Papers that will be retained for publication will receive additional feedback beyond the Conference.

Conference fee

150 EUR – A limited number of partial fee waivers for PhD students are available. Please contact FSR.Transport@eui.eu for further information

Publication opportunities

• Papers will qualify for the Journal Competition and Regulation in Network Industries, which is published by Sage as of 2017.
• A summary of the 4-5 best papers will have the chance to be published in the dedicated issue of the Network Industries Quarterly (Issue 19, Vol 3, September 2018).

Scientific Committee

• Simone Borghesi (EUI, Part-time professor, Energy & Climate Area of the FSR. Siena University, Professor)
• Matthias Finger (EUI, Part-time professor and Director of the Transport Area of the FSR. EPFL, Professor and Director of the Chair of Management of Network Industries)
• Jean-Michel Glachant (EUI, Robert Schuman Chair, Director of the FSR, Director of the Energy & Climate Area of the FSR, Holder of the Loyola de Palacio Chair)
• Pier Luigi Parcu (EUI, Part-time professor, Director of the Communications and Media Area of the FSR, ENTraNCE, and CMPF)
• Simon Porcher (Associate Professor, Vice director of the EPPP Chair at Sorbonne)

Registration 

For information on registration, please contact fsr.transport@eui.eu.

Final Programme

Collection of the abstracts

List of selected authors and titles of their papers (* presenting author)

WATER

• Espinosa Apráez, B.*, Lavrijssen, S. “Exploring regulatory barriers for the use of Data-Driven Innovation in the management of key infrastructures”
• Molinos-Senante, M.*,Farias, R.”Economic Group´s Influence on the Efficiency and Quality of Service of Water Companies under Model-Firm Regulation”
• Pakizer, K.*, Lieberherr, E. “Alternative Governance Arrangements for Modular Water Infrastructure: a Systematic Review”

ENERGY

• Antonioli Mantegazzini, B.*, Giusti, A. “Smart Grid, Load Management and Dynamic Pricing For Electricity: Findings from a Field Project in Switzerland”
• Gautier, A., Jacqmin, J.* “PV Adoption in Wallonia: The Role of Distribution Tariffs under Net Metering”
• Gonçalves, E.*, Dutra, J.*, Barbalho, A. “Utilities of the future? The effects of newly emerging network structures on the cost of capital and Financials of Energy Distribution Firms”
• Korsakaite, D.*, Bieksa, D, Bieksiene, E. “Third Party Access to Existing Municipal Energy Infrastructure: Lithuanian Centralized District Heating Case Analysis”
• Van Soest, H. “Peer-to-Peer Electricity Trading: a Review of the Legal Context”

TRANSPORT

• Knieps, G. “Internet of Things and the Economics of Shared Mobility”
• Kurosaki, F*., Higashino, S. “A Study of IC Card Systems within Japanese Urban Railway Lines: Considering the Integration of Transportation Services”
• Oliveira Cruz, C.*, Miranda Sarmento, J. “Maximizing the Value for Money of Road Projects through Digitalization”
• Panadès-Estruch, L. “ICT-LED Challenges for the EU’s Transport Infrastructure Funding: a Critical Assessment of Public-Private Partnerships”

COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

• Bieri, D., Franzi, S.*, Simundza, D. “Regulatory Networks in the US Blockchain Industry”
• Frieden, R., “The Internet of Platforms and Two-Sided Markets: Implications for Competition and Consumers”
• Gori, P., Parcu, P.L. “Postal operators as “ground based” online platforms?”
• Wahyuningtyas, S. Y. “The Decentralization Via Self-Regulation of Online Platform and Competition Policy Challenges: A Study on Go-Jek in Indonesia”

CROSS-SECTORAL

• Rossotto, C.M.*, Lal Das, P., Gasol Ramos, E., Clemente Miranda, E., and Badran, M.F. “Digital Platforms: A Literature Review and Policy Implications for Development”
• Ortiz-Arce Vizcarro, S.”EU-ETS and CORSIA: rivalry or partnership?”
• Vanrykel,F.*, Ernst, D., Bourgeois, M.”Fostering Share&Charge through proper regulation”