Course outline
'It's important to understand regulation because there is an increasing movement around the world to have services delivered not by governments but by the regulated private sector. Businesses are also increasingly interested in the use of the right regulatory strategies – those that protect the public interest but do not impose unnecessary restrictions and costs on firms themselves. A common position from their point of view is that if there's going to be regulation, it had better be the best that we can design. That's why we draw participants from business interests as well as regulatory agencies, governments and consultancies.' Professor Rob Baldwin
Day 1
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Introduction
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Why regulate?
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What is good regulation?
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Explaining regulation
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How regulation fails - unintended effects
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Current issues in water regulation
Day 2
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Techniques of regulation (a): commands and alternatives
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Techniques of regulation (b): rules and standards
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The European dimension I
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The European dimension II
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Utilities regulation and Europe
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The re-regulation of electricity markets
Day 3
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Risk regulation regimes: what are they and why do they vary?
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Risk management
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Cost-benefit testing and regulation
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Working group session 1: cost-benefit testing
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Utilities regulation - regulatory goals and instruments
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Regulating monopolies - price capping
Day 4
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Measuring efficiency - benchmarking, yardsticking and quality
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Regulating access to networks
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Regulation in 'competitive' sectors - the cases of telecommunications and energy supply
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Regulation and competition law
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The future of utilities regulation
Day 5
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Working group session 2: accountability
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Regulatory competition
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Regulation and the judges
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Reforms and prospects
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Franchising