SOMMARIO:
1. Dai cahiers de doléances alle analisi comparate degli ordinamenti.
2. Centralità delle infrastrutture e delle reti.
3. Le reti come “beni economici”: implicazioni.
4. L’impegno dello Stato nella promozione degli investimenti nelle reti di servizi pubblici: tre scenari.
5. Lo Stato proprietario.
6. Lo Stato finanziatore.
7. Lo Stato regolatore.
8. Una questione “culturale”.
Although infrastructure and networks are essential to provide some fundamental public services, there is not yet an in-depth study of a general concept of “networks”. Moreover, the legal framework of the networks used for the provision of public services is fragmented; it is purely functional with respect to those services; and is primarily the result of European regulation.
One fundamental feature of network legislation is the object of the regulation: European Law does not concern the property of the goods.Aims at regulating the use, in view of a plurality of interests.
The Author considers three alternatives concerning the State’s commitment in promoting investments in public service networks. In the traditional approach, the role of the State is that of the owner of essential infrastructures.A second option is to finance investments by public resources and to translate the property to private parties.A third, and increasingly important role of the State is that of regulating the rights of providers of services and users.