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2000FABIO MANENTI - GIANCARLO MARCATO - ANTONIO NICOLO' - PIERO TEDESCHI - PAOLA VALBONESI
Tutela della concorrenza in Italia: analisi di alcuni Provvedimenti dell'AGCM
ABSTRACT
In this paper we collect three comments on some dispositions of the Italian Anti-Trust Authority in
the years 1998-2000.
In the first comment we analyze two dispositions regarding the sale of football matches’ television
rights. We show that whether a centralized sale of the rights is considered desirable, it is important to
regulate the terms of trade in order to avoid discrimination among the potential buyers and to
encourage competition on the downstream advertising market. In the second comment we analyze a
disposition focusing on the connection charges for national gas pipeline. We agree on the economic
analysis made by the Italian Authority, but we point out some gaps and contradictions contained in
this disposition. Moreover, we present some considerations firstly on the definition of essential facility
and then on the choice between regulatory and anti-trust activity. On this last regard, we make some
proposals on the optimal design of the different Authorities (antitrust, regulatory) which have to
supervise the same market. In the last comment we analyze a recent disposition on an abuse of
dominant position in the market for Internet connectivity. Having described the technological and
economic characteristics of this sector, we point out that the infringement is also due to the difficulties
for the regulating Authority in estimating the cost functions of the firms operating in this rapidly
growing market. We show that the swift evolution of this market and its connections with other
markets characterized by high technological content, as telecommunications, involve a rapid change in
the strategies of the operating firms. We argue, finally, that a tardy supervision of the regulating
Authority not only decreases its effectiveness, but also increase the uncertainty in the markets, with
negative effects on the investments and on the technological progress.
Keywords: competition, regulating Authority, television rights, gas, Internet.
J.E.L. Classification: L40, L43, L51, L83, L95, L96.
