Infrastructure and networks. Transport and energy for Italy’s development

The seminar on “Infrastructure and networks. Transport and energy for Italy’s development”, held as part of the Aspen Seminars for Leaders program, emphasized the fact that infrastructure and networks in the fields of transport and energy represent a crucial factor for Italy’s development. In order to restore the efficiency and competitiveness of Italy’s economy, an effective “industrial policy” is needed for these sectors, which today are characterized by significant disparities and lags when compared with those of Italy’s major international competitors. The seminar participants concentrated on several priority areas requiring intervention and offered proposals for removing regulatory, professional and market obstacles that delay or impede the building of infrastructure and networks. Also discussed were legislative measures to speed up the pace of construction and to improve the management of infrastructure and networks, the possible reform of the Merloni Law and potential improvements to the so-called Legge Obiettivo (a law aimed at facilitating the implementation of large-scale public infrastructure). Finally, some observations were made regarding the regulatory and institutional conditions needed by public and private actors in order to be effective in financing infrastructure.