Books
At the very beginning of the Transport Area of the Florence School of Regulation, Prof Finger published the International Handbook of Network Industries, an edited book covering the significant restructuring process that affected all network industries and their liberalization. Sectors explored include telecoms, the Internet, energy and transport, while the truly global perspective incorporates unique case studies from an array of developed and developing countries including the US, China, India and the EU.
FSR Transport books are:
- In September 2013 the first book of FSR Transport – Regulating Transport in Europe, concerning the regulation of transport within a European context covering air, inland waterways, rail, road passenger and freight, urban public transport, and short sea shipping – was published.
- In 2014, Prof Finger edited the book Postal Services in the Digital Age, dealing with the challenges faced by the postal sector in the digital age, and with the vast opportunities that technological advancements offer postal operators with regard to developing new business solutions and services tailored to the needs of their customers.
- In 2015, Prof Finger edited the book Rail Economics, Policy and Regulation in Europe for Cheltenham. This book constitutes a first systematic account and assessment of the recent transformations of the European railway sector, whilst also covering the main segments such as passenger transport, high speed and freight.
- In 2016, the Routledge Companion to Network Industries, featuring contributions from experts that have come to the Florence School of Regulation in recent years, was published. It will be officially presented on Thursday, June 23rd in a dedicated book presentation.
- In 2017, Prof Finger and Prof Kenneth Button published an edited book on Global Aviation. This book offers a critical and wide-ranging assessment of the global air transport liberalization process over the past 40 years. It initially explores liberalization within various geographical markets such as the United States, Australia, Ireland, the European Union, China, India, Latin America, and Africa.
- In 2018, Prof Finger edited the book The Governance of Smart Transportation Systems. This book offers a comprehensive overview of the different research endeavours focusing on the governance of smart transportation systems. Through a series of case studies from around the world, this book highlights governance and regulatory processes having supported, or sometimes prevented, the development and implementation of smart mobility solutions (shared, automated, electric, integrated).
Policy Briefs
The FSR European Transport Regulation Observer is an open source publication which can be found on the FSR Transport webpage. Open access aims not only to widen the range of the audience but also to involve professors, young academics and practitioners to become part of a unique open platform for applied research and policy analysis.
The Observer – Internalising the External Costs of Transport
This Policy Brief reflects upon the discussions at the 5th Florence Intermodal Forum that took place in Florence on 20th May 2019. On the dedicated webpage, […] read more
The Observer – Green Finance and Sustainability: Which Role for Railways?
This Policy Brief reflects upon the discussions at the 17th Florence Rail Forum that took place in Florence on 7th December 2018. On the dedicated webpage, […] read more
The Observer – Single European Sky: the way forward
This Policy Brief reflects upon the discussions at the 10th Florence Air Forum that took place in Budapest on 9th November 2018. On the dedicated webpage, […] read more
Research Reports
FSR Transport has completed two major research projects on railway regulation analysis. The related research reports are now both openly accessible on this website:
- Finger, M., Rosa, A. (2012) Governance of Competition in the Swiss and European Railway Sector, Florence: European University Institute
- Finger, M., Holterman, M. (2013) Incentive-based Governance of the Swiss Railway Sector, Florence: European University Institute
Coordinated by FSR Transport, in January 2015 the four Area Directors of the Florence School of Regulation published the FSR Manifesto: An EU agenda for the upcoming 5 years of regulation of infrastructures. The FSR Manifesto is the first systematic attempt that the FSR has done to critically reflect upon the achievements of the second Barroso Commission in the various network industries. It also endeavours to establish a realistic outlook onto the challenges that await the Juncker Commission in the areas of energy, communications and media, transport and water regulation in terms of regulatory policy.
FSR Transport was awarded two research grants from the European Parliament for research studies:
- The role of regulation in preparing transport for the future (2016): the study conducted by the Transport Area of the Florence School of Regulation is part of a three-papers project commissioned by the TRAN Committee of the European Parliament to answer the initial question “World is changing, does transport follow? “. The (more and more urban) European population is growing and aging. Mobile information and communication technologies are developing rapidly. Global competition and the fight against climate change are pressing. These developments all have an impact on transport as a whole. As this paper shows, mobility needs and patterns evolve; new transport services/systems emerge; transportation technologies aim to become more ‘environmentally-efficient’. This transformation challenges the existing transport sector’s structure and governance and calls for major changes in the regulatory framework.
- Infrastructure funding challenges in the sharing economy (2017): the study analyses the disruption created by shared mobility in the funding of transport infrastructure. While recognising the benefits of shared mobility in terms of reduction of private car use, the study identifies that there might be short-term negative effects on the revenues of long distance railway and coach operators. It also points out other potential risks, which include capturing the revenues through commissions charged by platforms mediating mass-transit services (Mobility as a Service), freeriding and lower tax contributions. The study makes recommendations to reduce these risks.
Network Industries Quarterly
The Network Industries Quarterly (NIQ) is a collaboration of the Florence School of Regulation (EUI), École Polytechnique Fédéral de Lausanne (EPFL) and Istanbul Technical University (where Prof. Finger holds a visiting position). Funded by Prof Finger, the NIQ provides original analysis, information and opinions on current issues regarding network industries, and it has a broad and diverse readership.
This open access journal has been managed by EPFL during the past 15 years to cover the main issues related to Network Industries. Since 2014 FSR Transport Research Associates are the Managing Editors of the NIQ.
Network Industries Quarterly, Vol. 21, No. 2-Current Issues in Turkish Network Industries
In Turkey, following the economic crisis in 2001, comprehensive market-based reforms were launched in several sectors, including the network industries, such as telecommunications, electricity, and […] read more
Network Industries Quarterly, Vol. 21, No. 1 – Regulation of the Railway Industry
Across the world, railways are poised to face new challenges, as all transport modes are transformed by technological innovations, liberalisation, competition with other modes of […] read more
This special issue offers an overview on digitalisation in road infrastructure. Digitalisation has a vertical impact across the several layers of the road system. This […] read more
IGLUS Quarterly
The IGLUS Quarterly is a collaboration of the Transport Area of the Florence School of Regulation (EUI) and the Innovative Governance of Large Urban Systems (IGLUS) initiative of the École Polytechnique Fédéral de Lausanne (EPFL). Funded by Prof Matthias Finger, the IGLUS Quarterly is an online quarterly publication dedicated to the analysis of Governance, Innovation and Performance in Cities. The IGLUS Quarterly aims to facilitate knowledge and experience sharing among scholars and practitioners who are interested in the improvement of urban system’s performance in terms of the service efficiency, sustainability and resilience.
This open access journal will be officially included among the FSR Transport publications as of September 2017.
IGLUS Quarterly, Vol. 5, No. 1 – Water Economy and Governance in the Age of Urbanization
Due to the severe effects of global warming, the earth is confronting various issues, including endangerment of lives. Most importantly, scarcity of water is one […] read more
IGLUS Quarterly, Vol. 4, No. 4 – Complexities of Megacity. The Case of Seoul
The twenty-first century will be the century of the Megacities. More than half of the world’s population now live in urbanized areas and this number […] read more
IGLUS Quarterly, Vol. 4, No. 3 – Digitalisation Technologies. Urban Mobility Services
Digital technologies now affect almost every aspect of life. This alteration is already ingrained in mobility services in the form of information and communication technologies […] read more
Journal Articles
Prof Finger is Member of the editorial board of the Utilities Policy Journal, and a regular contributor to international journals.
Prof Finger is the Editor-in-Chief of the new Journal Competition and Regulation in Network Industries, a double-blind peer-reviewed journal that meets high academic standards. Resolutely interdisciplinary in nature, CRNI favours articles that combine economic, legal, policy and engineering approaches. We are looking for articles that link theory with practical relevance: they should make contributions to the theory and methodology development, yet always building on solid empirical research, both quantitative and qualitative. Articles that establish links between the evolving network industries are of particular interest.
The special issue of the “Competition and Regulation in Network Industries” (CRNI) by Sage on Return of Politics into Regulation is now available! Featured paper. […] read more
The special issue of the “Competition and Regulation in Network Industries” (CRNI) by Sage on “The Reform of the Railway Sector” is now available! Featured […] read more
CRNI Journal by Sage. Volume 20 Issue 1, March 2019 – Special Issue on “Digitalisation”
The special issue of the “Competition and Regulation in Network Industries” (CRNI) by Sage on “Digitalisation” is now available! Featured paper Combating incumbency advantage of […] read more