The natural gas sector in Argentina is undergoing profound change as a result of regulatory and structural reforms launched at the end of the 1980s. Critical to achieving national economic restructuring, these reform measures were aimed at improving economic efficiency and increasing investment through greater reliance on market forces and new opportunities for private capital. This report, the first IEA study to focus on Argentina, critically reviews the impact of gas-sector reforms. It identifies challenges that policy makers, regulatory and competition authorities still confront, in particular the promotion of competition in gas supply.
The natural gas sector in Argentina is undergoing profound change as a result of regulatory and structural reforms launched at the end of the 1980s. Critical to achieving national economic restructuring, these reform measures were aimed at improving economic efficiency and increasing investment through greater reliance on market forces and new opportunities for private capital. This report, the first IEA study to focus on Argentina, critically reviews the impact of gas-sector reforms. It identifies challenges that policy makers, regulatory and competition authorities still confront, in particular the promotion of competition in gas supply.
Liberalization of the natural gas industry is complex because the sector combines activities with natural monopoly characteristics with activities that are potentially competitive. The challenges are compounded when the state opts to retain vertically integrated monopolies in otherwise contestable segments of the industry. Regulatory issues associated with partial liberalization of natural gas markets are analyzed through a case study of Mexico.
Argentina has embarked in a series of regulatory reforms to improve the quality of its regulatory framework. High-quality regulations can protect consumers and the environment without becoming burdensome for citizens and businesses.
Removing unnecessary barriers to competition through targeted reforms can foster productivity and economic growth. This Regulatory Reform Review of Brazil analyses sectors that create barriers to competition, such as regulations that create obstacles to the entry of firms, inhibit the entry of firms, or restrict activities in professional and network sectors.
Recent years have seen a major growth in the European law concerning the operation of the energy industry, especially with respect to electricity and gas. Several directives have been adopted that are aimed at the promotion of competition in this key sector of the European economy. At thesame time, the jurisprudence of the European Court had developed further on matters such as access to networks, import and export monopolies and security of supply.In this book the authors examine the principal legislation, Treaty provisions and decisions of the Court of Justice and Court of First Instance of the EU as they related to the promotion of competition in European energy markets. In particular, two chapters are devoted to a detailed analysis of theprovisions of the two directives that set out common rules for the creation of an internal market in the electricity and gas sectors. In each case, the analysis is set in the context of the various programmes of energy market liberalization and privatization in the Member States, which aresummarized in this book. However, the authors also take the wider pan-European context into account, explaining the requirements and the implications of the European Economic Area Agreement, the Energy Charter Treaty and the Europe Agreements with countries of Central and Eastern Europe.The approach adopted by the authors is both analytical and historical. They locate the legislation in the context of the EU Internal Market programme that began in the late 1980s and explain the roles played by the various parties (energy industries, consumers and EU institutions) in shaping thefinal legislation. Importantly, they explain how the framework character of the energy directives has led to further important rule-making in the implementation of the directives across the EU. They conclude that a co-ordinated response between the European Commission and the national regulatorswill be essential to resolve problems arising in the transition to a competitive energy market in the EU.
"With abundant underdeveloped reserves of natural gas, this resource has the potential to play a large role in meeting the world's growing energy demand." Natural gas competes with other resources for use in power generation. In addition, its other uses have increased dramatically. Since it offers substantial environmental advantages over other hydrocarbon fuels, governments and investors are considering natural gas. This volume examines a range of issues relating to gas sector reform and gas market development. It also examines the reform experience in an array of countries. The last section reviews some of the commercial issues faced in expanding the role of gas, such as, the challenges of developing and financing cross-border gas pipeline trade and the difficulties of attracting investors to projects involving countries with high credit and currency risks.
